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THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL.
[CALL TO ORDER]
WE WOULD LIKE TO INFORM EVERYONE PRESENT THAT THIS COUNCIL MEETS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT, AND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL IS SET FORTH BY THE CITY COUNCIL.RESOLUTION 46 DASH 2003, PASSED ON THE 25TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2003.
WHAT A SURPRISE. THIS IS A RECOMMENDING COUNCIL.
ALL FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE CITY COUNCIL OR OTHER BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS AS SET FORTH BY CITY ORDINANCE.
OUR OVERALL PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TO THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND CARRYING OUT THE HONORS OBJECTIVES AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONTAINED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STRATEGY OF THE ACE TASK FORCE REPORT.
THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ARE FREE TO LEAVE AT THIS TIME. OH. OH. THAT'S AWESOME.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS MEETING IS ON.
[1. Presentation: Receive a Report and Hold a Discussion on and make Recommendations on Community Development Block Grant CDBG and HOME Investment Funding Applications.]
LET'S GO. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR COMING.ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS LATISHA REEVES, DIVISION MANAGER FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH HANDLES THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE CITY. WE ARE AN ENTITLEMENT CITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MY STAFF.
CHRISTY. SHE'S OUR HOUSING COUNSELOR.
REGINA. SHE'S OUR HOUSING SERVICE SPECIALIST.
FIRST PERSON YOU'LL SEE WHEN YOU WALK IN THE DOOR. AND JAMES MCFADDEN, HE IS OUR INSPECTOR FOR ALL OUR PROJECTS.
OKAY. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET THIS STARTED.
EVERY YEAR WE GET OUR ENTITLEMENT FROM HUD.
SO THIS IS JUST GOING OVER THE APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED FOR THIS YEAR, FOR THIS COMING YEAR. WE HAVE TO MEET OUR FUNDING GUIDELINES, WHICH OF COURSE IS HUD'S NATIONAL OBJECTIVES.
WE HAVE TO MEET OUR CONSOLIDATED PLANS AND GOALS WITH THAT, AS WELL AS ASSIST 70% MORE OF THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES HERE IN ABILENE.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO FOLLOW CITY COUNCIL'S POLICY ON CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR NON PROFITS AND NOT OPERATING EXPENSE.
SO THIS IS THE CDBG COMMUNITY BLOCK COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.
THESE ARE THE REQUESTS THAT WE RECEIVED IN YOUR PACKET.
YOU HAD THE APPLICATIONS CONDEMNATION DEMOLITION PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN IN-HOUSE CITY PROGRAM THAT DEMOLISHES ANY REAL ESTATE OR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE DILAPIDATED.
WE'VE FOUND THAT FOR ABOUT 150,000, WHICH JUST HELPS THE GENERAL FUND OVERALL.
WE HAVE OUR CRITICAL REPAIR PROGRAM, WHICH IS ANOTHER IN-HOUSE CITY PROGRAM THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT THAT HELPS OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITY WITH EMERGENCY CRITICAL REPAIRS. THIS IS MAINLY FOR HOMEOWNERS AND THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
OKAY. SO WITH THAT IS 282,000.
AND THEN WE HAD TWO NONPROFITS THIS YEAR, DIGNITY HEALTH MANAGEMENT CENTER, WHICH IS REQUESTING WHAT THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED, ABOUT $96,793. DUE TO OUR LIMITED FUNDS, WE REDUCE THAT TO 71,008 30 TO FUND THEM TO BE ABLE TO CONVERT THEIR OFFICE INTO ADA COMPLIANCE.
WITH THAT, ALSO, WE HAVE SALVATION ARMY THAT REQUESTED ORIGINALLY $184,490 FOR VARIOUS WINDOW, ELEVATOR, HVAC CONTROL REPAIRS TO THEIR BUILDING.
WE ONLY ARE ABLE TO FUND THEM 140,000.
SO WITH THAT SAID THEIR REQUEST TOTALS TO 643 830.
SO. OKAY. LET'S SEE. AND I'LL GO OVER TO OUR HOME FUNDING.
HOME FUNDING REQUEST SINGLE FAMILY REHABILITATION SLASH HOMEBUYER WHICH THE SINGLE FAMILY REHAB. WE.
IF A HOMEOWNER COMES INTO OUR OFFICE IT'S AN IN-HOUSE PROGRAM AND THEY ARE NEEDING REPAIRS, THAT IT'S NOT JUST A ROOF, A PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL. IT'S ALL THOSE AT ONE TIME AND THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
WE'LL REHAB THAT ENTIRE STRUCTURE COMPLETELY, SO THAT CAN RANGE ANYWHERE FROM 66,000 UP TO 80,000.
THAT'S THAT TAKES THE PLACE OF BACK IN THE DAY WHEN YOU BUILD THEM A HOUSE.
CORRECT? CORRECT. WE DO NOT DO RECONSTRUCTION ANY LONGER DUE TO THE COST.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM, WHICH IS ANYONE THAT IS LOOKING TO PURCHASE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF ABILENE IS ALLOWED TO APPLY. AND IF THEY'RE GRANTED UP TO 5000 WITH CLOSING COSTS AND DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH A LOCAL LENDER HERE IN ABILENE.
AND SO THOSE ARE THOSE TWO PROGRAMS.
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OUR OTHER NONPROFIT IS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.SINCE WE ARE AN ENTITLEMENT CITY, THEY ARE A ARE.
SO THEY AUTOMATICALLY GET 15% OF OUR ALLOCATION, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT 70,000, EIGHT, 28.
SO OVERALL, 420,008 $22 IS THE REQUEST FOR HOME.
WE SEEK APPROVAL. SO WITH ALL THOSE NUMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME ON THE IN-HOUSE PROGRAMS OR FOR ANY OF OUR NONPROFITS? I WAS JUST CURIOUS. ON THE TWO IN HOUSE, DID WE SPEND ALL THE MONEY ALLOCATED LAST YEAR FOR THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR YES, FOR CODE AND DEMOLITION? I BELIEVE WE SPENT EVERYTHING BY MARCH.
SO THAT WAS DONE. AND THEN OUR CRITICAL WE ARE OUT OF FUNDS COMPLETELY.
SO AT THIS POINT WE'RE HAVING TO TURN CLIENTS AWAY AND TELL THEM COME BACK IN OCTOBER WHEN WE'RE REFUNDED. WAS THAT THE SAME THE YEAR BEFORE, OR DID WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE YEAR BEFORE? WE HAD A LITTLE ROLLOVER, BUT NOT VERY MUCH.
DID YOU GIVE AWAY ALL THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER MONEY? NO, NO. THAT ONE. NO. THAT ACTUALLY HAS PICKED UP THIS YEAR.
BUT LAST YEAR WE DID. AND SO THAT DOES DEFINITELY ROLL OVER TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
I THINK LAST YEAR WE PROBABLY ONLY HAD HOW MANY, CHRISTY. TWO. AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'VE ALREADY HAD WE'VE HAD THREE.
WE HAVE ONE THAT'S PENDING INTO THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING.
SO AND WHO'S WHO'S THE LENDER ON THAT.
SO THEY'RE ALLOWED TO PICK THEIR OWN LENDER AS LONG AS THEY ARE LOCAL.
OKAY. LOCAL LENDERS IS A REQUIREMENT.
I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE REQUEST.
IS THAT JUST BECAUSE OF THE REDUCTION IN THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM THE YEARS PRIOR IN THE SINGLE FAMILY REHABILITATION AND FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER, BECAUSE THE YEAR BEFORE IT WAS 447.
CORRECT? YES, WE DID GET LESS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
OKAY. IT WAS JUST BECAUSE YOU SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FUNDS AVAILABLE.
OKAY. THAT WAS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD NOTED.
AND AGAIN, THESE FUNDS WON'T BE AVAILABLE TILL UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST.
CORRECT. AND THEN THERE'S NO MONEY.
I'M SORRY. NO MONEY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS? CORRECT. THAT'S A LONG TIME TO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. IT IS. AND SO WHAT WE NORMALLY DO IS WE KEEP A LISTING IN OUR OFFICE OF OTHER AGENCIES THAT MIGHT HAVE FUNDING TO EITHER DO MINOR WORK OR SOME TYPE OF PATCH WORK TO HOLD THESE CLIENTS OVER UNTIL WE'RE ABLE TO OPEN OR USE OUR FUNDING.
CAN THEY APPLY PRIOR TO THAT OCTOBER DATE AND THEY CAN HAVE THOSE ON FILE? WE NORMALLY DON'T BECAUSE WE'LL END UP WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF APPLICATIONS.
AND THEN THE PROBLEM TURNS INTO THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE.
AND THEN WE'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING CALLS AND WE'RE LIKE, I'M SORRY WE TOLD YOU, NOT UNTIL THEN. PLUS A LOT OF OUR VERIFICATIONS, THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN 60 DAYS CURRENT OF APPLYING. SO THAT'S THE OTHER POINT.
IF THEY TURN SOMETHING IN NOW FOR OCTOBER, IT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, INVALID UNTIL THEN BECAUSE WE HAVE TO RENEW ALL THE DOCUMENTATION.
AND THERE ARE THERE ARE A LOT OF HOOPS THAT YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. YES. AND IT'S HARD FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED THE HELP. A LOT OF TIMES IT'S IT'S HARD THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS? YES. AND WITH THAT WE RECOMMEND THEM.
YES. WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY COME IN AND AT LEAST GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY ARE GOING TO NEED FOR THE ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF CLIENTS THAT WANT TO COME IN AND APPLY WHEN OCTOBER 1ST ROLLS AROUND.
BUT WE RUN INTO THE PROBLEM OF, YES, IT'S MY HOUSE, BUT NOT LEGALLY. WELL, MY GRANDPA LEFT IT TO ME, BUT IT'S STILL IN HIS NAME.
WELL, THIS WILL GIVE THEM TIME TO WORK ON THAT WHICH WE REFER A LOT OF CLIENTS TO LEGAL AID AND SO FORTH, AND SO KIND OF PREPARE THEM THAT WILL.
THIS IS WHAT YOU'LL HAVE TO HAVE IN LINE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS OR TO EVEN APPLY. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, JUST FOR OUR OWN INFORMATION, ON SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS WHERE WE'RE REHABBING OR REPAIRING THE HOMES.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE WHAT THESE HOMES LOOK LIKE BEFORE AND AFTER FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, JUST AS PART OF THE PACKET.
OKAY, I CAN, I CAN WE CAN DO THAT IN THE PROCESS.
WE DO HAVE TO GET CONSENT FROM THE HOMEOWNER JUST TO SHOW THE BEFORE AND AFTERS.
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AND NORMALLY WE SHOW THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE PRIOR TO THIS SO THEY CAN SEE A FULL REHAB OF A BATHROOM OR AN ADA.BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN WE DO A BATHROOM, WE MAKE IT ADA COMPLIANT AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE. DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THAT TIME WHERE WE DON'T HAVE FUNDS? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WE CAN SEND PEOPLE TO? WE DO. BUT THE PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE FACING IS THE EXTENT OF WORK THAT THESE HOMEOWNERS NEED IS OVER WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO.
IT'S MORE SOMETHING THAT WE HANDLE.
I HAD A QUESTION, AND IT LEFT.
IT LEFT. I'M SORRY. IT'S OVER THERE SOMEWHERE.
I THINK JUST FROM MY CURIOSITY YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT HELPS NAVIGATE THIS PROCESS, THIS APPLICATION? ESPECIALLY IF IT IS SO EXTENSIVE.
IS THERE SOMEBODY THAT CAN KIND OF HELP WALK THEM THROUGH THOSE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THEIR, YOU KNOW, T'S ARE CROSSED AND THEIR EYES ARE DOTTED AND THAT SORT OF THING? THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL DO. YES.
THIS IS WHERE. OKAY. YES, MA'AM.
REGINA PRETTY MUCH GOES OVER THE PROCESS WITH THEM, HAS THEM CONTACT US IF THEY HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS.
IF IT GETS A LITTLE BIT OVER DETAILED, THEN KRISTI STEPS IN AND KIND OF TELLS THEM THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.
SHE CAN HAVE A SIT DOWN MEETING WITH THEM PRIOR AND HAVE THEM GET EVERYTHING READY AND SEE, EVEN WHEN THEY WE DO NOT ACCEPT INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS.
SO WHAT WE DO IS EVEN IF THEY BRING IT, WE GO OVER IT THOROUGHLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT MISSING. AND WHATEVER THEY'RE MISSING, WE PUT IT BACK AND RIGHT ON THE TOP OF THEIR ENVELOPE. THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING. ONCE YOU BRING IT BACK, IT'S COMPLETE.
AND DO YOU HAVE CERTAIN CONTRACTORS THAT YOU WORK WITH SO YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK? YES. YES. RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE THREE REGISTERED CONTRACTORS WITH OUR PROGRAM, WHICH THEY HAVE TO BE VETTED JUST AS OUR CLIENTS DO AS WELL.
SO WE MAKE SURE THEIR INSURANCE BONDED.
WE DO REFERENCE CHECK ON THEM AND THEY'RE USUALLY THE SAME GUYS WE'VE USED.
BUT WE HAVE TO REMIND THEM THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET TO STICK TO.
THEY ALSO GIVE THE CLIENTS A ONE YEAR WARRANTY FOR ANY OF THE WORK, AND THEY DO. IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG, MATERIAL WISE, THEY WILL GO OUT THERE.
AND IN THAT, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, OUR INSPECTOR DOES FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AND DOCUMENTS THE FILE. MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CORRECTED.
I WAS JUST GOING TO. CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NON-CITY.
YES. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WITH THE REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNTS WHAT'S BEING CUT OUT.
AND CAN THEY GET DONE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE DONE WITH THE LOWER AMOUNTS.
OUR LEAD MACHINE OF COURSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE REDUCTION FOR THE FUNDS.
NOW, AS FAR AS CONGRESS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH WILL BE REDUCED NEXT YEAR.
I THINK WERE YOU WERE ASKING THE SAME QUESTION I HAD, IS IT IF THOSE ARE FUNDED AT THAT LEVEL, ARE THEY STILL GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE PROJECTS? WE CAN YES, WE CAN THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE ALSO HAVE A PRIORITY.
SO IF SOMEONE COMES IN WE LOOK AT THEIR SITUATION AND HOW BAD IT'S NEEDED.
SO WE HAVE A PRIORITY SECTION WE PUT THEM IN.
SO THE ONES THAT ARE IN DIRE NEED GO ABOVE THE OTHERS AS WELL.
SO IT'S EVERY CASE BY CASE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
I THINK I THINK I'M ASKING ABOUT LIKE SALVATION ARMY'S PROJECT AND THE OTHER, THE DIGNITY HEALTH PROJECT, BECAUSE THOSE ARE DONE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE DONE WITH THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE DOING. YEAH. I'M NOT SURE.
I HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM DIGNITY, SO SHE MIGHT BE BETTER ABLE TO ANSWER THAT IF WE REDUCED IT IF SHE COULD, OR WHAT'S BEING CUT OUT? YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. SURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, I APPRECIATE IT. RIGHT NOW, WE WERE COUNTING ON THE FULL FUNDING.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT IS CUT OUT, WHAT THEY SAID THAT WE COULD AFFORD AND WHAT THEY WOULD SAY WE COULD CUT OUT. THIS THESE AMOUNTS ARE BASED ON A SURVEY FROM LUBBOCK INSPECTION SERVICE IN LUBBOCK.
OR THEY CAME IN AND SAID WHERE WE'RE AT AN ADA COMPLIANCE.
AND SO EVERYTHING IN THERE IS NECESSARY TO BRING US INTO FULL COMPLIANCE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD BE CUT OUT AND WHERE THE ADDITIONAL $25,000 WOULD COME FROM FOR US IN ORDER FOR US TO ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
SO FULL FUNDING WOULD BE HIGHLY DESIRABLE.
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR THE OTHER MONEY? I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD. THAT'S MORE THAN I CAN AUTHORIZE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO
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SEE. DO WE HAVE THE MONEY? YES, BUT CAN WE PULL IT? OUR MONEY IS SOMEWHAT RESTRICTED.WE HAVE 340 B FUNDING THAT COMES FROM CONTRACT WITH THE PHARMACEUTICAL PHARMACIES TO DISPENSE DRUGS. LEGAL DRUGS, PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS.
SO WE ARE RESTRICTED ON WHAT WE CAN SPEND THAT MONEY ON.
SO WE HAD TO GO BACK AND GET CLEARANCE FROM OUR ATTORNEY AND THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPLY THE FUNDS TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD PULL FROM THERE.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, APPLIED FOR ANY OTHER GRANTS OR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE UP THE GAP IN THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO YOU? WE WOULD MOST CERTAINLY GIVE THAT CONSIDERATION, APPLYING TO OTHER FOUNDATIONS TO SEE IF, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET THE THE MONEY MET FROM THERE, WHAT WE COULD DO TO BRING IT UP.
SINCE WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE FUNDING DEFICIT THAT WOULD COME FROM HERE, WE WEREN'T SURE. AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED FOR THE GRANT, SO WE WERE NOT SURE OF THE INTRICACIES AND HOW WELL IT HOW IT WORKED.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED. THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO ASK A HARD QUESTION.
I WAS CURIOUS TO THE SALVATION ARMY.
I MEAN, WE FUNDED DIFFERENT PROJECTS FOR THEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.
ARE WE NEARING THE END OF THAT AT THIS POINT WITH THIS BUILDING, OR WHERE DO WE THINK WE ARE? IT'S EVERY YEAR IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT IS, IT IS. I'M NOT SURE I WISH SALVATION ARMY WOULD HAVE MADE IT IN TODAY, BUT SOMETHING ALWAYS COMES UP.
BUT THE DYNAMICS MIGHT CHANGE WITH THEIR STAFF.
THEY'RE GETTING A NEW CAPTAIN, SO I'M NOT SURE.
WHEN WILL THE NEW CAPTAIN BE HERE? I DON'T KNOW. I WAS HOPING.
I HOPE HE'S HERE BEFORE JOSH IS GONE.
I HOPE SO TOO. SO WE WEREN'T GOING TO MEET OVER THAT TODAY? I WAS HOPING TO ASK HIM, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
HE MUST HAVE GOTTEN HELD UP IN SOMETHING ELSE WITH HIM LEAVING SOON.
WELL, THE THE THING ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY IS, ONE, THERE IS A CONSTANT NEED FOR THE SALVATION ARMY SINCE THEY ARE THE ONLY DROP IN SHELTER. AND SO THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH, YEAH, WE PRETTY MUCH REALLY NEED TO SAY YES, UNLESS THE FUNDING WAS JUST CUT DRAMATICALLY.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HERE EVERY YEAR.
AND SO MAYBE ONE OF THESE YEARS.
THEY'LL GET TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'LL SAY, WELL, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AND JUST NOT HAVE TO MAKE A BIG ASK.
LAST YEAR WAS BIG, WASN'T IT? YES. YES. YEAH. LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE THE LAST COUPLE HAVE BEEN BIG.
ASKS LAST YEAR WAS WHAT? FLOORING. WHAT FLOORING? THE ENTIRE BUILDING. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I KNOW IT WAS.
LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW PERSON.
YES WE WILL. SO NOT THAT ALSO IS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT OF A WILD CARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY KNOW.
THAT'S TRUE. I GUESS MY FINAL QUESTION IS, IT SEEMS LIKE THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS HAVE DECREASED OVER THE YEARS.
FROM THE OUTSIDE ASKING FOR MONEY.
AND IS THERE, YOU KNOW, OF A REASON WHY THAT WOULD BE? WHAT PEOPLE. I'M NOT SURE.
CALLING APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDS.
I DON'T I DON'T KNOW, I CAN'T REALLY ANSWER THAT I KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS SO MUCH EXTRA FUNDING DURING COVID THAT THERE WASN'T A NEED FOR IT, OR IT WAS A DISTRACTION.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DID SEE A DECREASE.
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE PROGRAMS? THEY ARE. WE DID HAVE TWO OTHER APPLICANTS, BUT THEY WEREN'T ELIGIBLE.
THESE WERE JUST THE ELIGIBLE PACKETS.
SO WE DID HAVE OTHERS, BUT HOW LONG IS THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR AN AGENCY? FROM THE TIME THAT THEY ARE NOTIFIED THAT THE APPLICATION IS AVAILABLE TO THE TIME
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IN WHICH IT'S REQUIRED TO BE SUBMITTED TO YOU? WE USUALLY GIVE ABOUT 30 DAYS.OKAY. WAS THAT THE CASE THIS YEAR? WE DIDN'T DO THAT THIS YEAR.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. WE COULDN'T GET OUR APPLICATION OUT.
SO WE DID DO ABOUT A TWO WEEK.
OKAY. BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN IN CYBER WARFARE.
YEAH. YEAH. I JUST WONDER IF THEY LOST.
30 DAYS? I THOUGHT SO, I JUST, I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME IMPACT ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS.
IT'S JUST THE TWO OTHER WERE NOT ELIGIBLE.
SURE. SO. IS THIS IS THE REQUIREMENT STILL THAT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE BIDS FOR THEIR PROJECTS BECAUSE I NOTICED, AT LEAST WITH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WITH SALVATION ARMY, I ONLY SAW ONE. ONE FOR EACH PERSON.
IS THAT DOES THAT I MEAN TO ME, I, I QUESTIONED THAT BECAUSE TO ME THAT MEANS THE APPLICATION IS NOT COMPLETED IN ITS ENTIRETY SINCE THEY DID NOT MEET THAT REQUIREMENT IF IT IS REQUIRED.
BUT WE ALLOWED IT DUE TO THE SUCH SHORT TIME FRAME THAT WE WERE WE HAD ON OUR HANDS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO GET OUR OUR PLAN TO HUD BY A CERTAIN TIME AND PUBLICIZE WHAT EACH NONPROFIT AND WHERE OUR BUDGET IS WITH THIS PROGRAM, WITH THESE PROGRAMS. SO WE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT NORMALLY WE DO. WE REQUEST THREE BIDS.
WHAT ELSE DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT? YOU ASK ME. WELL, SPEAKING FROM BEING ON THIS COMMITTEE FOR A WHILE, I.
I TRUST THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SO THAT THE CITY WANTS US TO GO.
OH, YEAH. YOU KNOW. SALVATION ARMY WAS A HUGE A HUGE ASK AFTER A HUGE ASK THAT. AND I UNDERSTAND.
AND WE NEED SINCE THEY'RE THE ONLY DROP IN PLACE IN TOWN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT DIGNITY, DIGNITY, HEALTH.
SO. BUT IT WAS A GREAT APPLICATION.
VERY THOROUGH. I WRESTLE A LITTLE BIT WITH THE SALVATION ARMY ONE THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DID IMPROVE SO MUCH LAST YEAR.
AND SO THAT WAS WE'RE REMOVING.
WE'RE DECREASING FUNDING IN MULTIPLE AREAS AND STILL GIVING SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF MONEY TO SOMEBODY THAT GOT ALMOST HALF $1 MILLION LAST YEAR.
YEAH. AND I MEAN, THE CITY, YOU JUST GO, OH YEAH.
250. YOU KNOW, THE SCORING SYSTEM, I MEAN, BECAUSE.
YOU ALL KNOW YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE. YEAH.
WE DON'T KNOW THEM AS WELL ALTHOUGH.
SALVATION ARMY IS CRITICAL TO THE CITY.
AND AT SOME POINT, WE NEED TO GET BEYOND THE SALVATION ARMY.
I THINK AS A CITY, OKAY, TO WHERE WE CREATE A DROP IN PLACE, SOMETHING BESIDES JUST OH, WELL, YOU GOT TO GO OVER ON BUTTERNUT.
THERE ARE. TOO MANY PEOPLE IN NEED FOR US TO HAVE JUST ONE SPOT WHERE THEY CAN DROP IN.
IN MY OPINION, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST HAD ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE DEMO, CONDEMNATION AND DEMO.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DEMO IT? WE WE COULD GO ANYWHERE FROM.
I'VE SEEN 4000 AND UP TO 39,000.
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NOW, SOME OF THAT WILL DEPEND ON IF THERE'S ASBESTOS THAT THAT TAKES EXTRA OR THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTY. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M ASSUMING WE SPEND ALL THAT EVERY YEAR. EVERY YEAR.YEAH. OH, YEAH. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DOING, LIKE, MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS TO JUST SAY, HEY, GUYS, DON'T TAKE CARE OF THAT HOUSE? YEAH. GEAR EM UP.
PEOPLE COULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE A HAVE A DEMO TEAM, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING THE RAGE ROOM OR.
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS THAT SPACE CALLED? YEAH. COMPETITION.
YEAH. HAVE PEOPLE COME IN WITH SLEDGEHAMMERS? I BUY A TICKET FOR THAT.
COME ON. I COULD GO SMASH SOMETHING.
SO WHEN YOU GUYS DO THE DEMO, DO YOU COME IN AND NOT ONLY TEAR DOWN THAT, BUT YOU REMOVE ALL OF THE DEBRIS AND YOU CLEAN THE ENTIRE SPACE? CORRECT. IT IS TO BE CLEARED OFF COMPLETELY.
AND THEN THE CONTRACTOR BEFORE HE TAKES EVERYTHING OFF.
OF COURSE, HE HAS TO PUT DOWN GRASS SEEDS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT THAT, ALL THAT. AND THOSE ARE JUST HUD'S REQUIREMENTS. OKAY. AND SO DID THEY DETERMINE OR WHO DETERMINES.
MAYBE YOU'VE SAID THIS BEFORE THE PRIORITIZATION OF OF PLACES THAT ARE DEMOED.
OKAY. IT HAS TO BE A LOAD OF MOD AREA NON FLOOD AND THEN THE SEVERITY OF ITS HEALTH OR SAFETY. YOU KNOW IF IT CAUGHT FIRE AND IT'S ABOUT TO FALL DOWN THEN WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH AN EMERGENCY TO DEMO.
AND WHAT'S THE TITLE. WHAT'S THE OWNERSHIP OF THOSE PROPERTIES.
IS THAT STILL. STILL THE HOMEOWNERS.
STILL? YES. THE OWNERSHIP REMAINS WITH THE HOMEOWNER.
WE DO PLACE A LIEN, SO THEY STILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY AFTER IT'S BEEN DEMOED.
SO THAT WAY WHEN THE GRASS STARTS GROWING, IT MUST BE MOWED BY THEM SO THEY DO NOT LOSE OWNERSHIP. BUT IF THEY REBUILD, THEY HAVE TO PAY YOU BACK.
CORRECT. OR THE DEMOLITION COST PRIOR TO THAT LIEN BEING REMOVED ESSENTIALLY.
AND THAT JUST GOES BACK INTO OUR CDBG PROGRAM.
AND DO HOMEOWNERS APPLY FOR THAT OR IS THAT SOMETHING THE CITY DETERMINES? NO. THAT GOES THROUGH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT WITH BOARD OF BUILDING STANDARDS.
AND SO IF A PROPERTY HAS BEEN DEEMED TO BE DEMOLISHED, THEN THE CODE GUYS WILL REFER TO US AND SEE IF THESE ARE ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES.
AND SO AT THAT TIME, REGINA WILL CHECK TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT IN THE FLOOD ZONE AND THEY'RE IN THE LOW TO MOD AREA.
AND IF THEY ARE, WE HAVE A DROP BOX IN OUR OFFICE AND CONTRACTORS DROP OFF THEIR BIDS AND WE SELECT THE LOWEST.
SPEAKING OF FLOOD ZONES, WILL WE EVER GET NEW FLOOD MAPS IN ABILENE? THAT. I'M NOT SURE. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM HUD AS FAR AS THE NEW FLOOD, BUT. THAT STILL REMAINS THE SAME SINCE 2012.
GOOD. THING ELSE. SO IS THIS WHERE I SAY WE'RE DONE? CORRECT. IF NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
WELL. OH. WE NEED YOU TO TAKE ACTION ON APPROVING WHAT WE'VE SET OUT IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO THAT THESE. THESE FIVE? YES. AND LET ME SAY, Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB.
NO. YES. THANKS. STILL MISS OTIS, BUT OKAY.
WELL, THEN, SHOULD WE HAVE A VOTE? THE WAY YOU LIKE IT. APPROVAL? OR SHOULD WE DO IT ONE AT A TIME OR.
I PROBABLY DIDN'T DO ONE AT A TIME.
WELL, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE START WITH THE CITIES.
OKAY. THE FIRST THE FAMILY REHABILITATION, FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY. OKAY. THE CONDEMNATION AND DEMOLITIONS FROM THE CITY OF ABILENE.
FOR THE CRITICAL REPAIR PROGRAM.
AGAIN THROUGH THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES.
ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
CONGRATULATIONS. CITY OF ABILENE.
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OKAY. FOR THE SALVATION ARMY, AND I THINK IT'S 140,000.OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE A HAND FOR IT.
AND FOR DIGNITY HEALTH MANAGEMENT.
ENTER. AND THIS IS FOR 72,000.
ABOUT 71 EIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
THANK YOU. AND WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S WORK.
AND CAN WE BE DISMISSED? LETICIA? YES. OH. FOR HABITAT.
AND IS THAT LIKE AT 70 THIS YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES 70,008 28. RIGHT. AND SO DO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT.
FOR HABITAT TO RECEIVE THE MONEY.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
DO WE NEED ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S IT. AND WE ARE SO GOOD.
WHAT? IS THERE NO MORE MONEY? NO MORE.
NO MORE MONEY. I KNOW, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE PEOPLE ON THIS GET SOME OF THIS MONEY.
OKAY, WELL, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THIS COMMITTEE IS OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.