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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2000x HOUSING AND CONENWrM Y DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, December 12, 2000 7:30 P.M. — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Ali. Drummer, Ald. Bernstein, Ald. Rainey, Horace Payaer Kenneth Rodgers, David Schoenfeld, Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: Ald. Kent STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department . OTHERS PRESENT: ht&-e Hurley, Mark Tendan, BEHIV PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Aid. Drummer, Chair L CALL TO ORDERIDECLARATION OF QUORUM Ald. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m., a quorum being present. II. APPROVAL OF hIINL7'ES OF NOVEMBER 14, 2000 MEETING Ald. Rainey made a motion to approve the minutes of the Committee's November 14, 2000 meeting; the motion was seconded by Aid. Bernstein. There was one correction to the minutes, on page 7 under the listing of Public Services funding. The funding allocation for Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago was corrected to read $7,580. The minutes were approved with the above described correction, 7-0. III. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2001/02 CDBG PROGRAM BUDGET AND PROPOSED ACTION PLAN FOR FY 2001/02 A. Copy of Notice of Public Hearing B. Spreadsheet of Committee Funding Recommendations Made November 14, 2000 C. Letter from Senior :fiction Service D. Letter from Youth Job Center of Evanston E. Letter from Arthur Tedei re Funding for Block Curb Program F. Public Hearing G. Approval by Committee of Proposed 2001/02 CDBG Program Budget and Action Plan for 2001/02. Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — December 12, 2000 Page 2 Ald. Drummer asked Sally Lufkin to discuss the proposed Action Plan for 2001/02. Ms. Lufkin discussed the contents of the Action Plan, pointing out that the City's goals for tht coming year were derived from the City's five year Consolidated Plan (approved by HUD in July 2000). Ms. LuA-in also discussed the Iisting of proposed projects for 2001/02, noting that they refl=. the Committee's funding recommendations made at its November la`s meeting. She added that there are also general descriptions for the City's 2001/02 HOME and Emergency Shelter Grants programs, as individual projects have not yet been identified. Public Hearing Ald. Drummer opened the Public Hearing on the proposed 2001/02 CDBG program budget and Action PIan for 2001/02 at 7:45 p.m. Mark Tendan. BEHIV Mr. Tendan, president of BEHIV's Board of Trustees, expressed his disappointment in the reduction of $9,000 in recommended funding for BEHIV's Community Unity program for FY 2001/02. He said that BEHIV has looked at the results the program has achieved this past year and has tried to determine an appropriate response to the Committee's decision. Mr. Tendan said that Evanston has a very high incident rate of HIV/AIDS, the second highest in the state. The Committee's decision to reduce funding for the program will impact those areas which have not had the benefit of a lot of educational outreach because earlier efforts were made to different communities, such as the gay community, women and people of color, who needed more assistance with outreach education. Mr. Tendan that a reduction in the funding level for the FY 2041/02 Community Unity program will mean that BEH5' will be forced to cut a part-time outreach worker. He said that the Evanston CDBG giant supports 50% of the salary of an outreach worker. Without being able to creatively access other funds, BEHIV cannot support that position itself. This will mean that possibly no fewer than 3,000 contacts will be lost. These are people that the agency has been worked with for months, even years. BEHIV feels that repeated contacts are very important to promoting safe health practices. The outreach workers are, in many instances, the only contacts for some people (street addicts, sex workers and out of school teens), who do not have access to the media and other information about HIV/AIDS. He added that BEHIV is possibly the only agency in the City reaching out to this population. Mr. Tendan added that the agency feels it has done a good job at the base level of interacting with the City of Evanston. BEHIV has had follow up references from the SU Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes— December 12, 2000 Page 3 Evanston Health Department and BEHIV outreach workers have assumed all FUV testing for the City. BEHIV has conducted on -site presentations in Evanston area churches and in December took part in a joint pastoral task forces with the City and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. This event was well attended for a first time event and BEHIV feeds that the event will grow larger and stronger in subsequent years. Mr. Tendan said that BEHIV has not been good at communicating with the City at the Executive Director and board level. It is the agency's intention to make improvements is this area starting with this meeting. Mr. Tendan said that the future of BEHIV is good; BEHIV is a strong organization, which has gone through a lot of change with the departure of the former Executive Director last June. BEHIV feels that service to the community has not been compromised, as its clients have always been served. Staff morale continues to be high and that it is important that the staff and board continue working together in running the organization. Deborah Steinkopf, who was Executive Director for 5-1J2 years, has been employed for twenty hours a week to get the agency through this transition period Ms. Steinkopf will be employed through June. Staff turnover has been minimal since the departure of the former Executive Director. Two anticipated staff departures have occurred; one person returned to school. There have been no turnovers in the prevention staff. One board member has resigned and one board members is on leave of absence. BEHIV has added two Evanston residents to the board (60% of the board are Evanston residents), and have made contact with other people (3 Evanston residents) for possible board membership. Mr. Tendan said that BEHIV is in a period of rebuilding its board and it would appear the board will have a very strong Evanston representation. Mr. Tendan concluded his remarks, speaking about some of the awards BEHIV has received from the Evanston community: the Woman's Club of Evanston awarded BEHIV the proceeds of its annual gala event last spring; the Evanston Rotary Clubs included BEHIV as one of five beneficiaries of a recent benefit marking the opening of the Century Theatres in Evanston. The AIDS walk this year had a record turnout, with a sub -team of students from Evanston Township High School. As there were no other persons wishing to speak, Aid. Drummer closed the Public Hearing at 7:54 p.m. Ald. Drummer thanked Mr. Tendan for his remarks and commended BEHIV for its work in Evanston, He commented that during the application review meetings, the presentation made by BEHIV wm one of the best ones heard by the Committee. He said that BEHIV has a tremendous amount of respect for the great work it is doing in Evanston. He added that the Committee is restricted by law and cannot allocate more than 15% of its annual CDBG funds toward Public Services activities. The BEHIV program fails in the Public Services category. This makes it difficult for the Committee Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — December 12, 2000 Page 4 to be able to support all the worthwhile Public Ser%ices programs presented for funding each year. He added that the City uses its CDBG funds to supplement funding provided to the Evanston community by the City's Human Services Committee, Aid. Drummer said that, if possible, the Committee would support efforts for additional funding for BEHIV from other funding sources. Ald. Rainey made a motion to approve the 2001/02 CDBG program budget and One Year Action Plan for 2001/02. The motion was seconded by Kenneth Rodgers. Motion carried, 7-0. Ms. Lufkin said that the 2001/02 CDBG program budget and one year action plan will be submitted to the City Council for approval at its January 8, 2001 meeting. IV. COMMUNICATIONS . 1: ,f. A. 2001 Proposed Meeting Schedule B. Invitation from Evanston Housing Commission to Joint Meeting in January 2001 C. Letter re HUD Monitoring Review of the City's Housing Rehabilitation Program, Administration and Overall Staff Capacity D. Letter from BEHIV re Status of Executive Director Search E. Spreadsheet Showing City funding for Public Services Activities (City, Mental Health Board, and CD Committee) F. HUD News Release re HUD's 2001 Budget G. Housing Options for the Mentally Ill in Evanston 1999/00 Annual Report H. News Articles Ald. Drummer acknowledge receipt of the communications. VI. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT There was discussion among Committee members on the composition of the CDBG Target Area and how the Target Area had been determined. Ms. Lufkin discussed how the Target Area had been originally configured after the City received low/moderate income information from HUD in 1993 and said that a new Target Area would be established once the City receives low/moderate income information from HUD, resulting from information from the 2000 census. Commenting on the letter received from the City's HUD representative regarding her recent monitoring visit, Ald. Drummer said that Community Development Department staff be congratulated for the fine work they are doing. He said that the Committee really would like to ensure that CDBG funding is being used by the City for staff positions . which carry out CDBG funded activities. He thought that the addition of a part-time staff Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — December 12, 2000 Page S person for CDBG Administration is needed in order for the City to comply with the additional requirements HUD is making of granters. Ms. Lufkin discussed the technical assistance visit by a HUD consultant, which had taken place the previous day. She said that the consultant met %N ith City staff to discuss what assistance Tonya 0-TUD's consultant) could provide to the City to help improve staffs technical skills and other areas concerning HUD programs. VIIL ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m. Staffj-emszvv d Date: February 9. 2001 MAP 11 NU'I'AppRo _.�, HOUSING AND CON11NIVNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMN1117TEF, NVENIBERS PRESENT: PRESIDING OFFICIAL: MINUTES Wednesday, November 14, 2000 6:30 P. M. — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center Aid. Bernstein, Aid. Drummer, Aid. Kent, Aid. Rainey, Kenneth Rodgers, Horace Payne, David Schoenfeld, Judith Treadway Aid. Drummer, Chair STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Mary Baaskc, James Wolinski, Community Development; David Jennings, Public Works; Doug Gaynor, Mamie Smith, Parks Forestry and: Recreation; Paula Haynes, Human Relations Director; 1Viiliam Stafford, finance; Nancy Anderson, Senior Action Service; Alexander Brown. North Shore Senior Center; "Teri Talen. Evanston Day Nursery; Gaston Warner, Hemenway United tilethodist Church-.. Iviona Grimes. BEHIV; Jennifer Roth, YWCA Evanston/Northshore; Susan Cherco; Karen Wertymer; Delores Holmes. Diane Hibbles, Family Focus; Linda Trittipo, Meals on Wheels; Toya Campbell, Madeleine England, Reba Place Day Nursery: Eric Hoffman, Over the Rainbow; Ester Williams -Hayes, The Soup Kitchen: Ann Jennett, Youth Job Center; Rev. 1 iardist Lane. Fisher Memorial AMC Zion Church; Thomas Sullivan; I.EAC. Robert Roy. Noreen Kim, i_upita Acosa- Nara, Evanston Community Defender; Nancy Singham. 'red Gram-Boarini, Rocky Kunz. Will Sunblad. Connections for the Homeless; Betty Vizel. Jan Weeks, Betty Ester, I. CALL TO ORDER Aid, Drummer called the meeting to order at 6:339 p.m. He explained that this was the night that the Committee made their CDBG funding recommendations to the City Council. Aid. Drummer informed the audience that there were more than S4 million in requests, and that the City has $2.9 million to allocate for the 2001/02 budget_ Housing :end Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 14. 2000 Pane 2 11. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF OCTOBER 2.1 AND tiOVEMBER 1, 2000 Aid. Rainey moved approval of the October 24. 2000 minutes Motion seconded by Aid. Bernstein. Motion passed unanimously-. Aid. Bernstein moved approval of the November 1, 2000. Motion, seconded by Judith Treadway. Motion passed unanimously. III. 2001/02 CDBG PROGRAM Sally Lufkin drew the Committee's attention to the memorandum in their packet from Nicki Modaber and herself. She said that it discusses the CDBG funding the City expects to have next year. Nis. Lufkin said that, for the first time in her memory, the City- already knows what its share of the federal CDBG fiend will be for 2001. The actual entitlement will be $2,440,000, which is approximately a $93,000 funding increase over the CDBG Cunding the City received for FY 2000/01. With an estimated S 125.000 in program income, and proposed reallocations of unspent funds tram prior years projects of S263,023 his. Lufkin said the Committee would have a total of $2,832,023 to allocate to projects and activities for FY 2001 '02. Nis. Lufkin explained that because of a 20% cap on funding allocated for Administration and Planning category, $l 13,400 would need to be cut from the total request of $627 200. She added that the Public Services category has a 151,10 cap so that category xvilI need to be reduced by 51 17.283 to bring it within the cap. Ms. Lufkin asked for a motion to reallocate the unspent funds to the: 2001/02 CDBG program. Aid. Rainey moved to reallocate the S263.023 in unspent t_mds from prior rears' completed projects. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. 2000/2001 CDBG PROGRAM FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS Administration/Planning Aid. Drummer said that lie would allow for multiple motions Lmtil the Committee comes to an agreement on how to allocate the funds. Aid. Rainey made a motion that CDBG Administration be funded at $313,600, M/WYEBE at S 109.400. and $90,800 be allocated to the Fair Housing Program. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Judith Treadway asked if the increase in funding for the CDBG Administration was for a part time staff person. and the if the increase for Fair Housing was related to the audit. David Schoenfeld asked if the S 100,000 for the Fair Housing Audit could It Housing and Community Developmrnt Act ('untntittie Minutes - November la. 2001) come from another source. Ald. Drummer said that It c-ould lxl-,sibly Conte from. the General! Fund. Aid. Rainey withdrew her motion. e3 Aid. Rainey made a motion to fund 14IAV EBB at S100.400. Fair I lousing: at S77.20lk and 5327,200 to the CDBG Administration. Aid. Bemstrin seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Public Services Aid. Drummer said that there was $1 17,253 to K, cut from the request for this category. He said that, unfortunately, the Fleetwood/Jourdain Fitness Equipment request had to be moved to the Public Services category which %trill limit the amount of funds that can be allocated. Judith Treadway asked whether the Flew-vood'Jourdain Fitness Equipment had to be kept in the Public Services category. Sally Lufkin replied that it did and the reason was that it was not fixed equipment. If the room were being remodeled, it could possibly be moved to the Public Facilities category. She added that generally equipment is not an eligible expenditure ofCDBG funds, unless it is an integral part of a construction project or is purchased in support of an eligible public services activity. Since the fitness equipment is not fixed equipment. HUD regulations place the project in the Public Services category. Judith Treadway made a motion to fiuul BEI11V at $22.583. Connections for the Homeless at $20.000, Community Defender at S79,780, the Homesharing Program at S22,000, the Civil Legal Services at $8,000. and the Graffiti Removal program at S28,000. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Aid. Drummer moved to eliminate the $100.000 Fleetwood/Jourdain Fitness Equipment from the Public Services category. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Kenneth Rodgers asked why Aid. Drummer .vantcd to eliminate the fitness equipment. Aid. Drummer said that if S100,000 were allocated for fitness equipment, the Committee would have to eliminate 5 - 8 other public services programs. Committee members voiced their concern regarding Fleetwood/Jourdain Fitness Equipment being placed in the Public Services category. Motion passed G - 2. Aid. Kent moved that the Evanston/Northshore YWCA be funded at S34,905. and Youth Job Center at S83,775. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed 7 - 0. Horace Payne made a motion to fund Meals on Wheels at S3,225 and the Fresh Start program at S15.000. Motion seconded by Judith Treadway. ;Notion passed unanimously - Kenneth Rodgers made a motion to fund the Girl Scouts Contemporary A%%xeness program at $8,975. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Housing and Community De►•elopmcnt'Act Committee Minutes - November 14. 2000 P►ne 4 Judith Treadway made a motion to fund Mctropolitan Family Services, Elder Abuse, Counseling at $5.745, and North Shore Senior Center at $28.000. Aid. l3emsicin secondcd the motion. Motion passed 7-1. Aid. Rainey made a motion to fund the all the of programs at the prc\ious year's fuuaing level with the exception of the following: Fresh Start program at S10,000. h[cals on Wheels yt S3,225, Graffiti Removal program at S28,000, and Fleetwood/Jourdain Center Fitness EqufpLnent at $33.455. A1d. Bernstein seconded the motion. It was Aid_ Rainey's opinion that it ►vas nea necessary to hire a consultant for the placement of the fitness equipment, that there %vere City employees that could do that at no extra cost. Aid. Rainey asked Nicki Modaber to recap tht Public Services funding as it now stands. Ms. Modaber stated the following: Community Unity I S19,395 Family Housing Services 16,155 Evanston Community Defender 76,795 EEAC 9,975 Shelter for Battered Women R Children 34,905 Fresh Stan 10,000 Contemporary Awareness 8,975 I lomesharing 17,450 Civil Legal Services 7,580 Meals on Wheels 3,225 Elder Abuse Counseling 5,745 Evanston/Skokie Valley Senior Services 29,920 YJC 83,775 Graffiti Removal 28,000 Fleetwood Jourdain Fitness Equip. 33,455 Kenneth Rodgers asked why Aid. Rainey did not find the Senior Care Careers program. Aid. Rainey said she was not planning to support that program. David Schoenfeld said that the Senior Care Careers program serves private interest and should be funded by private interest sources. He agreed the project should not be funded by the CDBG program. Aid. Rainey added that it is not a not-for-prolit agency. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC FACILITIES Kenneth Rodgers made a motion to fund Soup at Six S28,000, Aid. Rainey seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-I Judith Treadway made a motion to fund the Ebenezer Soup Kitchen S15.000 and Reba Place Day Nursery at $90,000. Kenneth Rodgers seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Housing and Community Development Act Committee , Minutes -November 14, 2000 patge S David Schoenfeld moved that Over the Rainbow be funded at S40,t~S2. Aid. Rainey seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Kenneth Rodgers made a motion to fund Family Focus, Inc., at $34?44. Motion seconded by Aid. Kent. Notion passed unanimously. Ald. Drummed moved to fund Evanston Day Nursery at $50,000. Aid_ Kent seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-I. David Schoenfeld made a motion to fund Evanston Day Nursery at 544,000 and fund Soup at Six at $34,000, Kenneth Rodgers seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. HOUSING; Ald. Rainey moved to approve the 5125,000 in projected program income for the Revolving Loan Fund. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Judith Treadway moved to fund the Housing Code Compliance program at $244,100, the fund Demolition Program at 540,000, Community Development Administration at $89,900, and Housing Rehab Administration at S210,000. Horace Payne seconded the mown. Motion passed unanimously. Aid. Kent made a motion to fund CEDA/Neighbors at Work for S 177,261. Motion seconded by Ms. Treadway. 'Motion passed unanimously. Ms. Treadway made a motion to fund the Construction (Revolving Loan Fund) at $100,000. Horace Payne seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS Aid. Rainey gave the Committee a status report on the Howard Street Streetscape project. She said that the project is expected to begin and end the spring and summer of 2001. Aid. Rainey made a motion to fund the Howard Street Streetscape Phase 11 at $300.000. Kenneth Rodgers seconded the motion. After much discussion by the Committee regarding the Howard Street Streetsrape Phase 11, Judith Treadway moved to reduce the: funding for the Howard Street Streetscape from $500,000 to 5400,000. Ald. Drummer seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-I. Aid. Kent said that Butler Park was not immediately ready to start, and could come back to the Committee for funding next year. Aid. Kent suggested eliminating Butler Part: from this year's funding, and to fund the Beck Park Phase If Redevelopment Project at SI57300. He said that Beck Park could come back next year, if necessary, f'or funding for the remainder of the Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 14, 2000 PaI 6 project. Aid. bent moved to fund Beck Part: Phase 11 Redevelopment Project at $157,500. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. 'lotion passed 6-2. David Schoenfeld made a motion to fund Phase 1 - accessible Curb Ramp Program at $50,000. Aid. Kent seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously - Horace Payne made a motion to remove the Robert Crown Entrance Door Replacement project from consideration. He said that he was making that recommendation because of the possible continuation of new Robert Croton Center in the coming years. Motion seconded by Aid. Rainey. Motion passed unanimously. Aid. Rainey made a motion to fund the Neighborhood Security Program at $25,000. Judith Treadway seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. Aid. Drummer asked (Executive Director) Teri Talen what Evanston Day Nursery could accomplish with a S44,000 CDBG grant. Ms. Talen replied that there were two different components to the funding request. The kitchen renovation component is comprised of some essential improvements and some that were recommendations from the Evanston Health Department. Second. she explained that one of the classrcoms does not have appropriate lighting and ventilation, as it originally was created to be a sieeping room for the children. The expansion part of the prosaram, the third component, consists of very extensive and expensive changes to the water system. She said that the whole building would have to have water sprinklers installed. Ms. Talen said that the S 13,000 in the proposed budget for the kitchen could be delayed until next year. However, there was no way to do the expansion in phases. She explained that S5,000 of the S 13,000 requested for the kitchen portion of the project was for code violations. Aid. Bernstein made a motion to fund the Evanston Day Nursery at S13,000. Motion seconded by Kenneth Rodgers. Mr. Talen said that at leas: S20,000 was needed for renovation of one particular classroom, S 13,000 for the kitchen renor ation (S5,000 for code violations); and that $70,000 involves a new staircase, water sprinkler and %eater mains, etc. Teri Talen said that EDN had a matching grant of $20.000 and unless EDN received enough money for the expansion phase of their funding request, the matching grant would not be given to the day nursery. Aid. Drummer moved to fund EDN at $50.000. David Schoenfeld seconded the motion. - He verified that %with a $20.000 gift and a $50,000 grant, EDN would be able to do the expansion portion of the program. Aid. Bernstein asked how she would get the $5,000 required to correct EDN's code violations. Ms. Talen said that it would be easier for her to get S5.000 than it would to bet $70,000. Aid. Drummer stated that if EDN does get funding, the Committee wants to be sure that EDN will correct their code violations. Motion passed 6-2. Jr Housing and Community Development Act Committee- ` Minute's - November 14. 2000 Pale 7 Aid. Drummer made a motion to fund the Streetlight Upgrade Program at 556.086. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Aid. Dent said that S 100.000 was being requested and wondered if that amount would even make a dent in what Public %Vorks is trying to accomplish. He asked if this wasn't an upgrade project that would happen all over the City. David Jennings said that the program does cover the whole City to the cost of approximately S 1 million. He said there is approximately 5250,000 in the Capital Improvement Program for streetlight upgrades, his intent in submitting this application was to try tier CD13G funds Io accelerate the program with $100,000 specifically for the CDBG target area. If the Streetlight Program were funded at $56,086 the oldest streetlights in the CDBG Target Area would be done tint. Motion passed unanimously. Aid. Bernstein moved to reduce BEHIV by 59.395 to 510.000 and to fully- fund the Evanston Community Defender at $79,780 and the Youth Job Center at 590, 185. Aid. Rainey seconded the motion. After discussion by the Committee motion passed 5-3. The Committee voted 8-0 to approve the 2001/02 CDBG program as follows: ADMINISTRATION/PLANNING City Community Development/Planning CDBG Administration City Human Relations Commission lair Housing Program City Finance Department M/W/EBE Program PUBLIC SERVICES B E-1-11 V Connections for the Homeless Evanston Community Defender Evanston Ecumenical Action Council Evanston/Northshore YWCA Fisher Memorial AME Zion Church Girl Scouts/Illinois Crossroads Council Interfaith Housing Center Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago Meals on Wheels Metropolitan Family Service North Shore Senior Center Senior Action Service Youth .lob Center of Evanston City - Community Development City - Parks/Forestry & Recreation Community Unity Family Housing Services Evanston Community Defender EEAC I [ospltal City Mentoring Shelter for Battered Women & Children Fresh Start Contemporary A«•areness-Evanston Homesharing Program Civil Legal Ser--ices Meals on 1k"heels Eider Abuse Counseling Evanston/Skokie Valley Senior Services Senior Care Careers Job Readiness. lob Placement & FoIlow-up Graffiti Removal Program Flee twood`Jourdain Fitness Equipment $327,?00 77,200 109.400 5513,800 $10,000 I6.155 79,780 9,975 34.905 10,000 8.975 17.450 3.225 225 5.745 29.920 0 90.195 28,000 33.455 $385,350 X Housing anti Cotnmunily Development Act Committee Minutes - November 14, 21100 P2218 110USING City - Community Development Community Development Administration $.S9,000 City - Community Development Housing Rehab Administration 210.100 City - Community Development Housing Code Compliance 244.100 City - Community Development Construction (Revolving Loan Fund) 100,000 City - Community Development Demolition 40.000 City - Community Development Revolving Loan Fund - Program Income 125.000 CEDANl eighbors at Work Minor Repair -,Tainting Assistance 177.261 S986,361 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS City - Parks/Forestry & Recreation Beck park Phase II Redevelopment Project $ I57.500 City - Public Works Phase I - Accessible Curb Ramp Program 50,000 City - Public Works Howard Street Streetscape Phase 1I 400,000 City - Public Works Street Light Upgrade Program 56,086 Community Development/Planning Neighborhood Security Program 25,000 $688,586 PUBLIC FACILITIES Ebenezer AME Church The Soup Kitchen $15,000 Evanston Day Nursery Child Care Fxpansion/Improvement 44,000 Family Focus, Inc. Weissbourd-Holmes Center 34,244 I-lememray United Methodist Church Soup at Six 34,000 Over the Rainbow Association Hill Arboretum Apartments 40,682 Reba Place Day Nursery Renovation & Enhancement 90,000 GRAND TOTAL $257,926 S2,832,023 IV. REQUEST FROM FLEETWOOD/JOURDAIN COMMUNITY CENTER FOR REALLOCATION OF UNUSED FUNDS FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND SYSTEM PROJECT Sally Lufkin dray the Committee's attention to the memorandum she had included in the Commission members' packet regarding, the Flcetwood/lourdain communication system (S42,000 has been allocated for the project). She explained that there has been money Ieft from other capital improvement projects that Fleetwood/Jourdain had completed. \NIs. Lufkin said the first request is for an additional $7,893 to be reallocated to the communication system so that the City could accept a proposal for $49,844. She suggested that the money be taken from the auditorium floor replacement project that has a balance of $7,893. Ald. Bernstein made a Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 14. 2000 PIE 9 motion to approve the transfer of $7.893> to the Fleetwoc-.1'Jourdain communication systzvza. Judith Treadway seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Ms. Lufkin said that a divider curtain and safety mats for the gym. and a divider fan the auditorium needed to be replaced. These %were components of prior projects which hnd m.-,t been done at the time because of extenuating circumstances affecting all Fleetw000d/Jourdain projects caused by a fire at the Center. These three items total S 19.957. She suggested that the rtsaining funds in the bleacher project (517,634.27) be used. AId. Kent made a motion that the $17,635.27 be used to purchase the divider curtain, and safety mats for the gym and the ca---ider for the auditorium. Motion seconded by Ald. Bernstein. Motion passed unanimously. V. CITIZEN COMMENT Betty Sue Ester commented she was sad that the Fleetwood/Jourdain Fitness Equipment was put in the Public Services category. She urged the Committee to do everything possible to fund the project. VI. COMMUNICATIONS A. Pages 2 and 3 of Pink Sheets for all Applications B. A21 - I-lemenway Church's Coup at Six - Cost Estimates for renovation of kitchen facilities C. A8 - Girl Scouts/Illinois Crossroads Council - Information on number of girls who participated in the program last year and summer 2000 D. A7 - Fisher Memorial AME Church Fresh Stan - Certification and Proposed Budget E. A23 - Reba PIace Day Nurser), - Prioritized Cost Estimate Worksheet F. Information from Evanston I-lealth Department regarding health regulations and soup kitchens G. 2001/02 Entitlement Staff memorandum List of unused funds from completed projects to be reallocated to the 2001/02 CDBG program - For Committee Action Revised 2001/02 CDBG program spreadsheet (dated 11/9/00 - pink paper) Committee Funding Recommendations VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 10:25. Respectfully submitted. MPry , ke/Executive Secretarv/Plannine Division December 6.2000 A HOUSING AND CO\L%WNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE PUBLIC .NIEETING NVednesday. November 1. 2000 7.00 P. M. — City Council Chambers 404f n Evanston Civic Center A4 MEMBERS PRESENT: AId. Bernstein, AId. Drummer, Aid. Rainey, Horace Payne, David Schoenfield, Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: AId. Kent, Kenneth Rodgers PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Aid. Drummer, Chair STAFF PRESENT: SAy Lufkin, Roberta Schur, Mary Baaske, larnes Wolinski, Community Development Director, David Jennings, Public Works Director; Doug Gaynor, Parks and Recreation Director, Bob Dorneker Paul D'Agostino, Parks/Forestry and Recreation; Paula Haynes, Human Relations Director:: William Stafford, Finance Director; Chad Walton. Purchasing; Pat Vance, CEDA/Neighbors at Work. Laurie Marston, MVVEBE Committee; Yvonne Dickerson, Mark Dillon, Don Browne, Paul Peterson, Lucy Nesbitt, Housing Commission I. CALL TO ORDER/DECLARATRION OF QUORUM Aid. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:12 p.m. Aid. Drummer introduced Yvonne Dickerson, Chair of the Housing Commission, and Housing Commission members Mark Dillon, Don Bro--%me. Paul Peterson. and Lucy Nesbitt, and Roberta Schur, staff member to the Housing Commission. fie explained that the Housing Commission and the Housing= and Community Development Act Committee would jointly review the proposals pertaining to housing. Sally Lufkin announced that on October 3I, 2000 the City learned what its entitlement amount would be for 2001/02. Th-- City will be receiving $2.444,000 in CDBG funds, which is about $93,000 more than the City had available for the CDBG activities during the current year. Added with the estimated program income and reallocation of unspent funds from completed prior year projects, Ms. Lufkin said the Committee will have approximately $2,813,791 to allocate to projects for 2001 /02. Noosing and Community D*velopmeni Art Committee ; W1 Minutes - Novemher 1- ( _ PaZS 2 Aid. Bernstein announced th-u the City Coun.:il's Planning and Development Committee will meet on November _20. 2000 in the Cit` Council Chambers to discuss the proposed changes to the City's Lan. loci Tenant Ordin mcc. fie invited everyone to attend. 11. APPROVAL OF MINI -TES OF OCTOBER 17, 2000 Ald. Bernstein mo%ri 3ppr0val 01'the October 17. 2000 minutes; the motion was seconded by Judith notion passes! unanimously-. Hl. 2001/02 CI)BG PROGRAM — City of Evanston Application Review Jofnt Meetitiv uvith Evomton flu vinv l imuniscion to Revie elvenet, and City of Evanston firursinty ( u_ceort'.4nvfli atld}r=.c A23 -- CEI)A/Neighfwrs at Workt.tfinor Relwirs Pui►rfinizAssistunce Pitt Vance, Executive Director of CEDAiNl eighbors at Work said that the Minor Repairs program is an ongoing program desiLned to assist lo%% and moderate income homeowners. There are three different components to the program: minor repairs program aimed at basic minter carpentry work. exterior paint program aimed at painting exteriors of homes, and the interior paint program. She explained that all of CI:DA'a minor repairs painting programs are designed to help low and moderate income homeowners eliminate the blighting situations within their homes. It is not meant to be a major rehab program. Nis. Vance said that for the coming year, she was asking for a moderate increase in their grant. She explained that over the years there have been some modifications to the program. "I'here is a limit to the amount f NANt' will pay for supplies, however, if there is work that needs to be done due to deterioration. ENAW allows homeowners to purchase the materials and Eti_' W supplies the labor. Nis. Vance said that due to new I IUD regulations regarding lead -based paint, there would be new challenges to the painting program. All of the workers on ENAW's crew will be trained in lead assessment so that they will be able to conduct proper procedures in the containment of the lead based paint. Ald. Bernstein asked if there: was need for certification in the Lead Abatement program. Nis. Vance replied that it was not referred to as lead abatement; I IUD has three different cateeories involved En terms of lead. She said that the Minor Repairs1lainting Assistance program bills bclo�-% the S5,000 cap. %%hich means workers need to be trained to work with lead and how not to distribute the dust. Judith Treadway said that in ENAW's application it was stated that they would no longer be able to furnish a housing counselor because HUD reducing funding for the position. She asked Nis. Vance to elaborate. GIs. Vance said that CEDA was told by X. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 P2e� Tree HUD that the funds CEDA receives from I IUD are not eligible to be used for counseling services for entitlement communities. Ifentitlement communities. such as Evanston decide that housing counseling is a priority in their area, they have to fund it (p,obabl% out of CDBG funds). Ms. Vance said that their corporate office has received other funding to keep the housing counselor position in Evanston and CEDA can continue to provide that service for Evanston and Skokie. Ms. Treadway asked how many- Evanston residents were provided with housing counseling last year. Nis. Vancr said that over 150 residents used the housing counselor. Ald. Drummer asked how many homes were assisted last year with the Minor Repairs and Painting program. Ms. Vance said that 40 homes were assisted with minor repairs, 23 homes with interior painting, and 5 homes with exterior paint. Ald. Drummer said it was his understanding that Neighbors at Work had an extensive waiting Iist. Ms. Vance said that she had a list of approximately 30 homes on the waiting list for the Exterior Paint program. while the Interior Paint program has a waiting list of approximately one year. Minor Repair projects are usually done in the same year the service is requested. A10 — Interfaith Housing CenterlHomesharing Program Gail Schechter, Executive Director said that the Interfaith Housing Center has been in existence since 1972. Interfaith is a not -for -profit fair housing agency which promotes diversity and inclusive housing in the entire north suburban area from Howard Street to Highwood. She said that they do that by investigating housing discrimination complaints and doing a lot of education and outreach work. Nis Schechter introduced Jacqueline Grossman, coordinator of the I-lomesharing Program. Ms. Grossman explained that the Homesharing Program is a free service that is paid for through township monies to help seniors age in place. She said the program was also a way of providing affordable housing for those who need it. The Homesharing Program matches seniors who have extra rooms in their homes with people who need affordable housing. Nis, Grossman said that her agency does all of the reference checking. interviewing and case management of the match. She said that the match can either be an exchange of low rent and sonic services or straight rent. however. rents never exceed S400 a month. There are also some free situations where 8 hours of services a week is exchanged for free rent. Nis. Grossman said that last year of the 51 matches, 21 of them were interracial matches and 19 were intercultural matches. Sven of the matches involved women and children, and 20 adults avoided homelessness. The Homesharing Program also served 7 .k� Housing and Community Development Act Committee .. , I.. Minutes - November 1. 2000 Page Four ' disabled seniors and 7 disabled seekers. For the current fiscal year (since 3311r00) there have been I i matches made. Ald. Drummer asked how the Homesharing Program received referrals_ Ms. Grossman said that sometimes they bet referrals from social services agencies, churches, aldermen, newspaper articles and word of mouth_ C2 — EV2nston Iluman Relations Commission/Fair Housing Ms. Paula Haynes, Executive Director of the City of Evanston's Human Relations Commission introduced Hollis Settles, chair of the Human Relations Commission, Commissioners Jason Nehal, Leonard Stein, lklavis Hagemann, and Barry Slavi.& Ms. Hayes stated that the Human Relations Commission was responsible for enforcement of the City of Evanston's Fair Housing Ordinance. She said that the hair Housing Ordinance insures that all persons are afforded an equal opportunity to rent, purchase, and occupy property in Evanston without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, etc_ She said that the Fair Housing program has historically been funded by CDBG. She stated that HUD is the agency that enforces the federal fair housing law. Ms. Haynes said that the Human Relations Commission funding request was for funding for a human relations specialist who would spend his/her time handling fair housing issues. The funding request this year represents an S 108,000 increase. Part of the requested increase is for salaries, benefits, and legal software. She added that 5100,000 is being requested for legal costs related to a housing audit, which is currently underway. Ms. Haynes stated there .was no way she could scientifically or reasonably determine what the cost will be to the City to deal with complaints arising from the housing audit because the City's ordinance allows for some options. Once the City determines that there has been a violation of the ordinance, several things can happen. The ordinance also provides that the City pay for attorney fees for the complainant. The way it has been conducted previously is that the City's attorneys represent and advise the Commission should the Commission decide to hear a case. Aid. Rainey asked what kind of audit was taken. Ms. Hayes replied thw it was a rental audit. Aid. Rainey said in terms of lawsuits having to do with discriminasion, there are huge: awards ready to be made, and wouldn't the City be able to secure Irbal representation, given our good track record, on a contingent basis. his. Haynes said that the case Aid. Rainey was referring to cost the City 5800,000 and the award that the City received was about halfthat amount. Housing Commission member Mark Dillan asked if there was a chance that the Commission could rind an attorney to do it on a pro bono basis. rvls. Haynes said that she didn't know if any attorney would be willing to do it pro Bono. x Housing and Community Development Act Committee J 1llinutes - Novemher 1. 2000 PaP.c.Fivr David Schoenfeld asked if Ms. Hayes has worked with HUD and the City's attorneys office in bringing a claim. Ms. Ilaynes said that HUD is willing to do that if you are an agency called a FAP that has been approved by HUD. The way around that is to file the case with HUD. However, Evanston's Fair Housing Ordinance clearly states what the City's duties and obligations are as a City government. Aid. Rainey stated that she thought the community and the City's general fund need to be responsible for any legal expenses having to do %0th discrimination in our community. Ald. Bernstein asked when was the last time the Cite prosecuted a case. Ms. Haynes replied that it was approximately 12 years ago. She added that there have been problems, but since then, the Human Relations Commission has been able to resolve them. Ald. Bernstein asked how people are educated with respect to their obligations under the City's ordinance. Ms. Haynes responded that there are training classes for realtors. Many times she and her staff are asked to come to real estate offices and train the staff. Judith Treadway asked whether the anticipated changes in the Landlord/Tenant Ordinance and the establishment of a City housing court through the administrative adjudication process will give an), relief to these areas of fair housing and does the City have jurisdiction for that. Ms. Haynes said that the amendments to the landlord/tenant ordinance that were proposed by the Human Relations Commission initially would not have any impact on the Fair Housing Ordinance. Aid. Rainey said that one of the things that came out of the previous housing audit was the settlement which took place was a whole series of requirements for sales people in Evanston and was pretty effective. Ald. Rainey felt that there had to be a major event, such as a rental audit to stop discrimination. She said that it was her opinion that the Fair Housing Ordinance was one of the best in the country and that the citizens of Evanston have a right to feel very proud of it. Ald. Rainey added that the City has to be sure that people follow the Ordinance and those that do not follow it, pay for it. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT James «'olinski, Community Development Director, said his goal was that wherever one goes in Evanston. he/she will see safe. decent housing. lie said that there are approximately 30,000 units of housing in Evanston, 50% rental and 50% owner occupied. C4 — Community Developarenl Adinirrislratiott Mr. Wolinski said that this program was the administrative element of the Community Development Department. He explained that 50% of the salary of the X Housing and Community Development act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 director and executive secretary was paid with CDBG funds. He explained that there was a slight increase from last year's request due to cost of living and merit increases. CS — Housing Rehab Administration Mr. Wolinski explained that the I lousing Rehab Division consists of a Division Head, a (-lousing Rehab Specialist and a Secretary. In the past. these positions have been funded 100% by CDBG funds. lie said that the Housing Rehab Division's job is to administer several loan programs that are provided by CDBG for low to moderate - income property owners. They also participate in the Evanston Housing Corporation - which is a Corporation where the City is in partnership %%ith seven member banks to provide a first-time homebuyer program for Evanston residents or people who work in Evanston. hir. Wolinski said that the City is reimbursed by the Corporation for its administrative expenses. C6— Housing Corte Compliance Mr. Wolinski said that this activity involves the Housing; inspection program. CDBG has funded 100% of the 2 inspectors that work specifically in the CDBG Target Area. It also funds 30% of the salaries of 3 other inspectors, who also have CDBG buildings in their areas, 30% of two clerical positions, and 40A/o of the operating expenses for that entire division. Mr. Wolinski said that the inspectors conduct approximately 3,500 inspections a year which puts them on a 3 to 3 '/2 year cycle for I5,000 housing units. The CDBG target area is inspected on a 2 — 2 '/ year cycle; the remainder of the rental housing units is inspected on a 3 to d year schedule. Aid. Drummer asked Mr. Wolinski to speak about the City's plans to integrate administrative adjudication with the Mousing Code Compliance program. Nfr. Wolinski said that, currently, all of the City's enforcement is done through the Second District Court in Skokie. All housing complaints that end up in housing court must be taken through the Second District. He said that once the City takes a housing problem to court, it looses control because, basically, it is now in the control of the Judge. Mr. Wolinski said that while the City has been successful in housing court, the time it takes to get violations corrected is unsatisfactory. With Administrative Adjudication. the City hopes to cut that time element do'L%n by 75%. Me added that Administrative Adjudication would allow the City to brine violators of the Property Standards Code to the Civic Center in front of a Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer will have full power to look at the facts of the case. and xvill have the authority to order compliance and to issue lines. If compliance is not made within a 30 to 60 day period, the Hearing Officer can levy fines again. .%fr. 'Wolinski said he hoped that the Administrative Adjudication would start sometime this winter. X Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 Page Seven C7-- Housing Rehabilitation - Construction Mr. Wolinski said this request was for additional funds for the revolving loam fund. L%4oney is loaned to Iow to moderate -income homeoctiriers, both single-family and multi -family so that properties can be rehabbed. The loan fund has not received any new CDBG funds in several years and is now in need of money_ C8 - Housing Code Compliance - Demolition Mr. Wolinski said that the demolition fund supports the demolition of substandard housing. He said the City has been successful in demolishing 3 houses over the past nine months and has another three houses in Housing Court in various stages of the coin process. Mr. Wolinski said he could not say that he was %vould be able to get demolition orders on all of the boarded -up houses, but he Nvas going to get the attention of the property owners. ll' the property owner is not going to rehab the building, the City will take him to court and have the court order code compliance or demolition of dangerous structures. Mr. Wolinski asked that $125,000 of the projected program income for FY 2001/02 be allocated to the Resolving Loan Fund so they can generate new loans C9 - Graffiti Removal Progratn Mr. Wolinski said that the City has been fighting the graffiti problem in Evanston for many years and has a contract with a graffiti removal contractor as well as a person on staff that serves half time as a graffiti removal expert and half-time as a sign expert. The $28,000 being requested %vill pay part of the graffiti technician's salary. The graffiti technician cleans up anywhere from 4,000 to 4.000 sites on public property per year. C20- Neigh borhood Storefront Improvement Pro,-, rant Mr. Wolinski said that the Neighborhood Storefront program was a matching program, which is done with local businesses in town to help small business owners improve their storefronts. The City will pay up to S10.000 per storefront with the owner paying the other S 10,000. Regarding the Revolving Loan fund. Aid. Drummer asked Mr. Wolinski to five him an understanding of flow many homes have been completed, how much money has been paid. and how much money has been taken out of the Revolving Loan fund. %Vlr. Wolinski said he would have that information for Aid. Drummer at the next meeting. Aid. Bernstein asked if the City recovers the cost for demolitions. Mr. Wolinski replied that liens are always placed on the demolished properties. Aid. Drummer mentioned that he thought that the Garage Removal Program and Tree Removal Program were great programs and many people have taken advantage of them. X Housing and Community- Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1, 2000 Page Ei ht HOUSING COMMISSION COMMENTS Paul Peterson said he understood that CDBG funds were funds to be put back in the community; however. he noticed that 560,,b of the funds were being allocated toward City functions. He thou4ht that the CDBG funds that go to routine. mundane, City functions such as Code Enforcement should be allocated toward other important projects and that the City's general fund should pay for a function it is required to administer. Nlr. Peterson also dre%v attention to the }-lousing, Rehabilitation Construction Program where there are S955.000 in applications pending, with a request from that Program for S200,000 in CDBG funds. He said that it seemed like a great program, but that a proper allocation of CDBG funds was needed to fund it instead of allocating funds for really ground -level City functions. Aid. Drummer said that while these programs might be something that should be funded by the City of Evanston, in reality there is not enough money in the City budget to do them. CDBG funds allow the City to help maintain the housing stack in Evanston in target areas and Vor low to moderate -income people. Aid. Rainey said that if fir. Peterson thinks that Code Compliance Inspections is a mundane administrative function, she: would invite hint to come with her some day, to visit a derelict housing unit where she has seen the Inspectors standing in human waste, gagging, unable to tolerate the conditions, and then having to go back to a building ten to fifteen times to inspect them. These are not desk jobs. She said that these people are out there in the trenches. at court and one does not have to routine property inspections in the south end of town, also in the fifth ward, and some second ward areas. These are intense and necessary tasks needed in order to maintain a very aging, deteriorating housing stock. Unless the City keeps after this problem and unless City dollars are supplemented (by federal dollars) you are going to see some much bigger tax problems in this town. This program helps the Evanston community maintain the quality of life and the quality of housing for the very people who make it possible for the Cit., to receive CDBG funds. This town needs to do ever% thing it can to maintain its housing stock, because once you have a 24-unit building that goes over the edge, you have a demolition job. Nor. Peterson said that he was referring to a necessary part and parcel of what the City has to do in relation to federal dollars that he sees coning in to pay for above and beyond. Aid. Rainey said that her point was that the job the City has to do in certain target areas is above and beyond what any community can really be expected to with general fund money. X Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1, 2000 page Nine Aid. Drummer stated that Evanston is one of the few communid. es in the State of Illinois and nationwide that has this structure for parceling cut grant funds. A lot of communities that receive CDBG funds have an internal commince to oversee tit: program. The City Manager puts the grant funds in his budget and th_t's the end of iL Legally. our City Manager has the authority to do that here, but fie newer does. He alloval CDBG funds to be used for the best purposes throughout the Community This was the end of the joint meeting with the Evanston Housing Commission. C3 Finance Departurctrtll4tiavrity, Women, Evanston Business Program Laurie Marston. Chair of the M/W/EBE Committee, said that staff has done a wonderful job of looking at not only compliance issues and a lot of paper .work that has to be reviewed, but also serving as a resource to the business community do%ing outreach and providing technical assistance. She said that the Commission and staff ware also working on revising the definition of what an Evanston business enterprise is, the length of time the actual business has been in the community, and also that they peilorm an essential function in Evanston. After deliberations, the M/W/EBE Committee %ill be making a recommendation to the City Council. Ms. ;Marston said the Committee is also working with City smf2 in terms of incorporating the City's internal purchasing; through local businesses_ She said that Lloyd Shepard, M/W/EBE Coordinator, and Chad Walton, Purchasing ti9anager, would be doing reports by department so that each department can compare its progress on M/W/EBE contracting. William Stafford. Finance Director said that the goal of the MAV EBE Committee is to change the culture of the organization and the City is working; to,.%ard this goal. He said that there is more and more effort by City departments to buy in Evanston. Chad Walton, Purchasing; Agent, said that the purpose of the Nl ;KIEBE program is to provide opportunities for participation in the City procurement proc_ss, in economic development or redevelopment agreements that the City has been suczessful in doing this. He said that there is a goal of25% MWEBE participation in all City contracts and on redevelopment agreements. The second goal is to promote the employment of minority and wornen businesses of the City. lastly, he said the purpose cIf the M/W/EBE program is to strengthen the economic base of the City. and he encouraged all City contractors and employees to use Evanston businesses. `Ir. Walton said that last year the City Council passed the local purchasing policy. which gives a 5% preference to local businesses. M/W/EBE goals have been increased from 20% to 25%. He added there were job training; components in the City's contracts and economic development agreements, and that there is also a vendor outreach effort. x Housing and Community Dri-elopment Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 Pa a Ten Mr. Walton announced that the next vendor fair will he jointly lb3. Northwest= University and the City and will be held Wednesda%. November S. 2000 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Norris Center on the university Campus. Mr. Walton stated that the Cit,. has increased its database ►}k Minority \Vomit Evanston business to 1500_ The database is used to determine if thQ.c is an Evanston minority or woman -owned business that can provide the product or sericc and if so. dual business will be contacted and include-3 in the solicitation process. lie said that the Finance Department also doe's strategic sourcing i.e., a majority owned contractor can be put in touch with one or more minority women subcontractors in Evanston. tifr. Walton said that for the current fiscal date, the City Council has a- added approximately 59.10 million in contracts. and of that 59.10 million. 15% were minority or women participation in Evanston. He said that in the Church Street Plaza project. $22.9 million worth of contr3cts has been awarded; right now we are at 19% Minority Women Business participation on that contract. Judith Treadway asked what was being clone regarding potential employees at the Church Street Plaza and how many employees will be hired for all of the facilities that will be at Church Street Plaza. Mr. Walton said he did not know the actual number of employees to be hired. but those positions are now being filled. lie said that the developer, Arthur Hill, recently held a job fair and that there are outreach efforts to insure that everyone is given an equal opportunity for employment at Church Street Plaza. Afd. Rainey said sh_ had read that the small business owners are saying that Northwestern' local purchases are putting the City to shame. Mr. Walton said that the City has made a huge effort for all departments to buy from locally owned businesses and he would dispute that statement. Mr. Stafford said that one of the issues is that it all depends on what type of goods or services you are talking about. He said that he had heard that comment from one of the caterers, and the fact is that North-,yesters spends between $2 million - S5 million a year on catering. 'rhe City pales in comparison to that. so sometimes it depends on what hinds of goods and services you are talking about. Obviously. the City- of Evanston does not spend $2 million a year on caterintz_ Judith Treadway asked where the MAV EBE Committee was in terms of identifying the aspect of training low and moderate -income people. Mr. Walton said that program %tins on going. He added that in the fong, range sewer contracts, there are requirements to employ local minority, women residents. Housing and Community Development Act Committee ` Minutes - November 1. 2000 Page Eleven PUBLIC WORKS C15 —Accessible Curb Ramp Program — Phase 1 David Jennings. Public `Forks Director, said that the funding request was for Phase I of the Accessible Curb Ramp program. He said that a study was recera'ly completed by a consultant of many of the curb ramps in Evanston. Mr. Jennings said that this was a proposal for a pilot program. because the total of Priority I improvements are in the S500.000 range. The whole program identified by the consultant identified wms $1.7 million. The purpose of the Accessible Curb Ramps program is to remove barders for the disabled and to make the streets and sidewalks more accessible. Aid. Bernstein asked what kind of accessibility S1.7 million «ould buy. One of the consultants said that their staff started out by looking at over 2.500 curb ramps. The $1.7 million includes many curb ramps that are technically noncompliant with rx-w construction standards. but are usable with caution. The number one priority includes 25% of the 2,500 curbs that were surveyed; what inns found «3s that they were noncompliant, non -useable or nonexistent. Aid. Rainey said that the ADA Committee has sent letters v.-here they identify certain areas as critical and asked Mr. Jennings if he had seen them. Mr. Jennings said that he had not. One of the consultants said that when he was doing the study, he was sent some correspondence identifying one targeted area and that area ♦vas incorporated into the study. C14 —Ally Paving Mr. Jennings said. with the exception of last year, the Public Works Department had received CDBG funding to assist the alley paving program in the CDBG 'fargct Area. He said that these funds were used along with City G.O. bonds to fund the program and then the City is reimbursed through the Special Alley Assessment program. Additional funding requested from CDBG is to increase the amount of alleys that can be paved. The City pays one-half of the cost of alley improvements; the other half is paid by affected property owners through the Special Assessment process. There is also a citywide program called the Special Assessment Assistance program where low to moderate -income households can apply to have the private share of the special assessment funded. Cl b — Block Curb Program Mr. Jennings said this program is designed to replace deteriorated curbs and sidewalks in the CDBG Targeted Area. He said that, «-ith the exception of last year, this program has historically been funded by CDBG. C17 — Howard Street Streetscape — Phase 11 Mr. Jennings stated that the Howard Street project was a cooperative effort with the City of Chicago to do a strectscape improvement on Howard Street between Ridge x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 Page TWehre Avenue on the west and the City limits on the cast (at the CTA racks)L Lost year $300,000 was approved by the CDBG Committee and was added with prior funding to make a total of 5500.000 to fund the Phase I of the prom -am. Phase I is iaetwcen Custer on the Evanston side, Damen on the Chicago side and Clark/Chicago on the cast. This program was to have started this year. but the City of Chicago ran into utility problems that pushed the program off to the summer of 2001. When the final puns were being drawn, the City of Chicago discovered a water line under the sidewalk that was in direct conflict with both the tree wells and the streetlight basses. That waterline has to be relocated at the City of Chicago's cost. Mr. Jennings said that the request before the Committee tonight is for the other two portions of the Howard Street Strectscape, which is from Ridge to Custer/Damen on the west end and from either the Metra Tracks in Chicago or to the CTA station on the east end. The total cost of both phases, to both cities is about $3 million. He said it's roughly a 50150 split, so the City of Evanston's portion will be $1.5 million. lialf of the $1.5 million has already been obligated to the City of Chicago, (not paid yet, but in the bank). Mr. Jennings is proposing to fund the remaining $750,000 by asking for $500,000 of that in CDBG funds and the remaining portion from CIP, if available. C18 — Street Light Upgrade Program Mr. Jennings said that this was a request to assist in upgrading: street lights in Evanston. Some money has been aside to do the beginning phase of the street light upgrade program. The 'rallmadge street lights are mercury vapor system. which need refurbishing every ten to fifteen years, as the ballast in a mercury vapor system wears out. lie added that this is the twentieth year since the first Tailmadge street lights that were installed. Mr. Jennings said Public Works is recommending induction lighting. He said there have been twenty to thirty induction lights in place for over a year and a half and the City has not had to do maintenance on any of them. Mr. Jennings explained the difference in the various kinds of lighting systems. Induction lights have a twenty-year bulb life. He said that the other source of funds for this project is the CIP. The cost of the entire project is estimated to be at least $1 million. CDBG funds would be used to replace lights in the CDBG Target rheas. Horace Payne asked what is done with the old mercury vapor lights. I'Ar. Jennings replied that they are recyclable mercury vapor lights and florescent lights that have mercury in them. The City has a hired a company to dispose of the lights in an ecologically safe manner. x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 Page Thirteen Aid. Rainy asked if the recommended lights give offmore light on the street. Mr. Jennings answered that they do: he pointed out that some of the lights to be replaced are only producing 20% of the light then when they were new, PARKS, RECREATION, AND FORESTRY Doug Gaynor, Park, Recreation and Forestry Director introduced Robert Dorneker. Recreation Superintendent, and Caul D'A__astino, Parks & Forestry Superintendent. C12 - Fleetivood/Jvurdain CanmuniV Center Fitness Equipment Robert Dorneker said that this proposal is to rrplace fitness equipment that «-as purchased in 1979 and 1986. The request includes not only replacement of the equipment, but to redesign the layout of that facility_ Currently, the equipment is sporadically a placed within the facilit�• as it seemed best. He sid that it was his hope that. with the help ol'a consultant. the facility could be redesigned so that it would meet ADA standards, and Iltat tl}e layout would be more user friendly. The fitness room serves a wide range of individuals, mast of who are ages 14 — 25. fir. Dorneker said that over the years there has been a decrease in the number of people that use the facility because of the condition of' the fitness equipment. judith Treadway asked if there would be a trainer to assist people using the facility. Mr. Dorneker said that there would be a staiTperson on hand to assist people. Aid. Drummer asked if the attendance at the facility consisted of mostly men. Mr. Dorneker said that was true. Aid. Bernstein asked if many people use the equipment that is there now. Mr. Dorneker said that in the early 1990's there were see oral hundred people using the fitness equipment per week. currently there: are about 40 to 60. C13 — Robert Cratwt Center Entrance Door Replacement Mr. Dorneker said the current set of doors at the facility is 25 years old. This project consists of replacing; all the doors, both the exterior and interior doors. There are 18 doors at Robert Crown; the project includes the entire framework and hardware that goes with the doors. The current doors are so worn out and obsolete that staff is having a difficult time finding replacement parts. '['his project also includes making the doors ADA accessible. He explained that the project would start in March of200). CIO — Back Park Phase 11 Redevelopment Project Paul D'Agostino said that with last year's allocation the playground area was totally redesigned and is now under construction. This playground is for the older .�t Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 Page Fourteen children. and Phase If is to add to the playground for smaller children. If the project is funded, the playground would be finished in early summer 2001. C11— Butter Park Phase 11 Redevelopment Project &Nlr. D'Agostino said the City would like to redevelop the playground areas. improving the picnic areas, develop fencing. and lighting in this park. This is a three phase project and has an estimated cost of approximately S900.000. CI - CDBG Administration Sally Lufkin pointed out that in the application for the CDBG Administration is an additional part-time position. She said that HUD is looking at the staling levels of the City's programs, And because they have given the cities a lot of extra %vork, another staff position to administer the CDBG program is being requested. The Community Development Department is proposing a part-time position to help with the administration of the program. This had been added. but not approved as of yet. C19 - Neighborhood SecuriV Program This program has been expanded to include the whole target area. C21- Project Contingency Fund Sally Lufkin, CDBG Grants Administrator stated that the Project Contingency Fund was extremely low and additional funds would be needed to cover project cost overruns. Aid. Drummer responded that if there was money amilable it would be funded. IV. COMMUNICATIONS A. Letter from Larry Biondi re Application C15 - Accessible Curb Ramp program B. Family Focus - A19 - Response to Committee Questions; Revised pages PS8 and PS 15; 1998. 99 Audit; 9/I'00 Board of Directors Meeting Minutes; Equal Employment Opportunity Policy C. Interfaith Housine Center - A 10 - page PS21 Certification; Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting 9/18100 D. Metronolitan Familv Services - A13 - corrected pages PS 13 and PS 15 E. Evanston Ecumenical .Action Council - A5 - Minutes of Executive Committee Meeting- 81/00; 1999.Audit F. Flenienwav United !Methodist Church - A20 - Letter from Zoning Administrator; Audit (1/l/99 - 11.15/99); Board of Trustees Minutes 4/6/00; Site Plans for Kitchen Renovation Aid. Drummer accepted the communications into the record. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - November 1. 2000 I':lir Fittrrrn V. NEXT HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT' ACT COMMITTEE MEETING Ald. Drummer announced that the nest meeting of thy I lousing and Communiq Development Act Committee would be Tuesday. November 14. 2000 at o-30 p.m. in Room 2404. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, they adjoumcd at 1+0.20 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Mary 134ffaaske Executive Secretary Planning Division Community Development Department �t DRAFT NOT APPROVED HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEN'ELOPh1ENT ACT CON11N1ITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, October 24, 2000 7:00 P.M. - City Council Chambers Evanston CiNic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Ald. Bernstein, Aid. Drummer, Aid. Kent, Aid. Rainey, Horace Payne, Kenneth Rodeem David Schoenfeld, Judith Treadway, CHAIR: Ald. Drummer STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Mary Baaske OTHERS PRESENT: Suzanne Auburn, Judy Pfeifer, Ann Jennett, Cynthia Anglin, Youth Job Center; Connie Willegal, Kim Williams, Girl Scouts; Rev-. Robert Thomas, Ebenezer Primm Towers; Eric Hoffman. Leo Kirmin, Over the Rainbow Association; Sandi Johnson, C. Henderson, Alexander Brown, North Shore Senior Center: Carla Frisch, Metropolitan Family Services; Esther M. Nilliams-Hays, Anna Belle Frazier, Vera Loudin, Ebenezer AME Church; Christie Dailey, YWCA; Merlyn Graham, Comfort & Joy Day Care; Thomas Sullivan, EEAC; Toya Campbell, Madeline England, Paula Wendland, Lynn Goldman, RPDN PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Aid. Drummer, Chair 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:08 p.m. Sally Lufkin, CDBG Grants Administrator, reported that the HUD 2001 funding bill had been approved by Congress and on the national level CDBG will be funded at $5.1 billion. She said that this is an increase over what Congress had allocated in 2000, so the City of Evanston could possibly expect an increase in its CDBG funding. HUD may release the actual allocations before the election. Aid. Drummer explained that there were eleven agency proposals to be heard. He stated that each applicant is allowed fifteen minutes; five minutes to present the proposal and ten minutes for questions from the Committee. M. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 l'iwc Two Alb - EBENEZER A.tii.E CHURCH/Soup Iiitehenjor Those 11ho lfurt Esther Williams -Hayes, a member of Ebenezer AME Ch+a;ch. `aid .he w;Ls representing the Soup Kitchen for Those Who Hurt. She said that since 1987 the Soup Kitchen has operated its program of providing one hot meal for those that hurt and are in need in Evanston. The Soup Kitchen has requested CDBG funds only once before. The Soup Kitchen's program it hou-s'—d at Ebenezer AME Church at 1109 Emerson Street. The program has been underwritten by the Ebenezer AME Church and church members have contributed their time. money and energy- to the Soup Kitchen. With the help of food purchases from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Food Aid Center in Evanston, the program has continued. She said that the program is designed to prepare and serve one hot meal a week. The program is staffed with 7 - 10 volunteers, many of whom are seniors. The program serves approximately 100 meals per week on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The volunteers arrive at 8 a.m. to begin preparing the food. Ater the cleanup the volunteers leave around 2:30 p.m. In the past, the Soup Kitchen served all men. Today, men. women with children, battered persons, people who are mentally or physically disabled and senior citizens come for the hot meal. Historically, appliances and other expenses including water. gas, telephone and office support used by the Soup Kitchen were treated as an Ebenezer Church expense. However, it is now time for the equipment and storage units to be replaced. The funding request is to continue to replace kitchen equipment and upgrade the kitchen to Evanston Health Department standards. Annabel Frazier, co-chair of the Ebenezer AME Church, chairperson of the Soup Kitchen, said that she arrives even. Thursday morning between 7:30 and 8 a.m. to start preparing the food. She said that the food is ready at 11:30 a.m. Ms. Frazier said that when necessary, she purchases food on Wednesdays. Aid. Drummer asked ,41s. Williams -I lays to furnish the Committee with a breakdown of what the church has spent on this program. He asked for minutes of the meeting where the trustee board approved the request for this funding. Also, fie asked for a list of the board of trustees. A- 8 GIRL SCOUTSIILLINOIS C1tOSSROADS/Cntite»rporuq,Aicaretiess Connie Willegal introduced herself as one of the assistant executive directors with Illinois Crossroads Council and introduced Kim Williams, one of the marketing managers that work with the City of Evanston to provide Girl Scouting for girls in Evanston. Ms. Willegal thanked the Committee for their past support for this program. She said that recently the Girl Scouts of the USA have completed a national study entitled "Girls Speak Out - Teens Before Their Time''. The sample consisted of over 1,300 surveys from girls ages 8-12. The study has given the Girl Scouts valuable information on what it is like to be a young girl today. Through the Contemporary Awareness programs already offered in communities, like Evanston. the Girl Scouts have already taken steps to respond to Al Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 Pavv Three• what is now being identified as dire needs for girls and young women. Child development falEl within cognitive, physical and emotional development. One outcome of the national study any: one that has been noted in areas served by Illinois Crossroads is that these three areas of child development are not in sync. Cognitive and physical development ha'.e axeleratcJ «-hilc emotional development has not_ This imbalance has led to a lot of stress and tension for girls a- 12 and teen -alters. As girls undergo rapid chances, they need family support more than ever as a source of assistance. Sometimes girls don't have family members to turn to. Through the Contemporary Awareness program, girls have found caring, positive adults «ho are available ra guide and listen to them. Kim Williams said that there arc 4, 029 Girls in Evanston. 706 girls are part of Girl Scouts through a volunteer -led group. 350 - 400 girls are part of the Contemporary Awareness program. This leaves around 3,500 girls that could benefit from being involved in a positive life skills development opportunity. She said that last year the Contemporary A%%zrcness program was in the pilot stage. This program has proven to be very successful. The program addresses many of the situations that girls face, such as discrimination, hate crimes, eating disorders, media messages, sexual harassment. conflict violence, teen pressure, health and fitness. Ms. Williams gave an overview of some of the other Girl Scout programs. Nis. Williams said that the $10,000 requested averages to $26.67 per client. That amount does not include any of the indirect costs that are part of the general operating budget of the Illinois Crossroads Council, The 526.67 is far less than it would cost for intervention and remedial programs. Nis. Willegal stated that Illinois Crossroads has one new component that is not pan of the proposal. She said they have just received confinnation from Girl Scouts of the USA that Illinois Crossroads has been accepted as one of the pilot program for "Pave the Way," an anti- violence education project. While it is unfortunate that we need to address this subject. many of our teens and young people are facing some form of violence. Aid. Kent said there have been many studies done on girls and how they have been discriminated against in education i.e., not being, pushed toward mathematics, or engineering or computer technology programs. He asked if the Girl Scouts had any plans to address this problem. NSs. Willegal said that at a new facility in Oak Park has a girl computer lab. This is a trial program. and the Girl Scouts want to work with educators to see what the Girl Scouts could do to help support girls in day-to-day academia. In addition, in the North Chicago - Waukegan school districts, the Girl Scouts do extensive contemporary awareness programs. Some of the elements that the school district has asked the Girl Scouts to add have to do with math. With the amount of requests the Girl Scouts are receiving they are looking at another component that might specifically address math, science, or technology. The Contemporary Awareness programs are great reinforcers for what schools are already doing. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 Pane Fee Judith Treadway asked what time the programs are occurring at the designated sites listed. Ms. Willegal said that during the school year. the program occurs sometime during the school day, either during the lunch hour or after school. The programs at Ridgeville Park District occur during the summer. Nis. Williams said that the Double Dutch PmLram is a program that is a year around program. She said that the Girl Scouts were hoping to incorporate Contemporary Awareness into that particular program. The Double Dutch program meets three times a week. Aid. Rainey asked for a detailed list of where these programs have taken place. Ms. Willegal said she would provide that information to Sally Lufkin. Aid. Bernstein asked if there were plans to get a resident of Evanston on the Girl Scouts Board of Directors. Ms.Willegal replied that the nominating committee has been meeting with the board of directors to identify where they do not have representation, (ethnically, career -wise, geographically and racially). Kenneth Rodgers asked if when a Girl Scout troop ceases to exist, whether the Girl Scouts investigate the cause of that troop disbanding. Kim Williams said that this year she is focusing on ways to reach girls by going to agencies or churches to do research and see how the Girl Scouts can help in those areas. Aid. Drummer asked his. Williams to furnish the number of clients that were served at each of the schools and both park districts this year. He said that the girls that participate in the aforementioned programs in Evanston are not Girl Scouts, but participants in programs offered by the Girl Scouts. Ms. Willegal said that the Girl Scouts have a local volunteer/manager and she works with the leaders in the various Girl Scout programs to recruit the girls for the Girl Scouts. She added that once a month activities are offered to the girls to participate with Girl Scouts in Evanston. Aid. Drummer asked how a student sighs up for the program. Ms. Willegal said that the Girl Scout facilitators do presentations in the school to interest the girls and the girls take permission slips home. She explained that it is a parental consent program where parents have given their approval. In some schools. the guidance counselors identify girls at -risk and work with the girls' parents to encourage them to join the Girl Scout program. A21 - Over the Rainbow Association/Hill Arboretiiin Apartments Eric Huffman, Executive Director of Over the Rainbow Association, introduced Leo Kirwin, a tenant of the ]-till Arboretum Apartments and a board member of Hill Arboreturn Apartments, and a member of the Evanston Fluman Relations Committee. it Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - nrinber 24.. 2000 Pave Fuse Mr. Kirwin said that Hill Arboretum Apartments was established in 1990 using CDBG funds that Over the Rainbow leveraged and builtlremodeled the building at 2040 Browm into what is now the }-fill Arboretum Apartments. He explained that Hill Arboretum Apartmemts is a 33-unit apartment building that was designed for people with physical disabilities. Everyone who lives at Hill Arboretum is confined to a wheelchair. Each apartment has design innovations such as extra -wide doors, a unique, one -of -a -kind chair lift which. in many cases, grants full independence to their resident`s because they are able to get themselves in and out of bed and unto their wheelchairs, and they are able to put themselves to bed at night. There are cabinets that are counter -tap level making it possible for residents to get what they need by themselves. Countrr tops and sinks are designed so that wheelchairs can drive underneath them. There are also roil -in showers as well as some bathtubs, which can be used with the lifts. fie said that the Association believes that independence through technology and not other humans grants a much larger amount of dignity to the individuals. In 1994, the Arboretum Business Center was established using CDBG funds leveraged by the Over the Rainbow Association. The Business Center gives the residents the opportunity to work, doing everything from mailings to data base management. The organization believes that with the technology of the future it is easier for people with disabilities to work using technology. Currently, the Business Center has a 19 station VT Computer network. They are in the process of making a contact center that will be up and running shortly. He thanked the City of Evanston for all of its past support. Eric Huffman said he had made a promise to the Committee last year that they would not come back and ask f'or more money. Last year the Committee funded a lire suppression system at Hill Arboretum for $140,000. Unfortunately, the Evanston Fire Department has determined that the basement, penthouse. and the arboretum Business Center must also have water sprinklers. These areas were not part of the original plan, which was to put water sprinklers in Hill Arboretum Apartments. Mr. Huffman said that because this building was originally built as a hospital and a bomb center, the inner apartments have 9" rebar concrete that is steel reinforced. The problems are that contractors have to wet -drill through the walls. and the PVC cannot be placed within the walls and has to be mounted externally. The total cost of all the extra areas and construction costs totals $40.642. Aid. Bernstein asked %%hether the Fire Department has cited Hill Arboretum Apartments. Mr. Huffman said that two months after the Committee funded them. Fire Marshall Berkowsky called and said that Hill Arboretum Apartments would have to have water sprinklers installed or be shut down. A-14 North Shore Senior CenterlEranston/Skokie Valhry Senior Services Executive Director, Sandi Johnson said that the amount of money being requested w'as less than 4% of the program's budget amounting to S32,000. She said that that Evanston/Skokie Valley Senior Services (ESVSS) serves low-income seniors. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24.2000 Patre Six Ms. Johnson stated that the Committee's contribution to ESVSS's budget for the next year will help them to serve, once again, seniors, mostly women who are 75 rears of age and over, very poor and vulnerable. She said that ESVSS serves seniors by helping them to stay at home and provides employment for other seniors in Evanston. Often these people are employed as the homemakers for the very frail seniors. It's a program that provides services and has newer had a waiting list since February 1996, when North Shore Senior Center opened an office in Evanston. Nls. Johnson introduced Alexander Brown. Director of the Evanston/Skokie Valley office, and Mary Signature, the Community Development Block Grant Case Managcr. Mr. Brown said that ESVSS has fifteen different programs which provide a range of social services to seniors. Ninety-nine percent of ESVSS's -work is done vdth a client in their own home. He said that they do whatever it takes to help the older adult to stay at home and be actively involved in the community and out of nursing home for as long as possible. ESVSS can arrange services such as homemakers to do cooking. cleaning, personal grooming, home delivered meals, case management, counseling and respite. Mr. Brown said that ESVSS is the only agency in Evanston that can provide these kinds of home -based services to older adults with no fee required, and no income and eligibility requirements for as long as they need help. Fie said that their clients tend to be women age 75 and older, they were born in Evanston, raised families here and now it was time for them to get something back from their home community. Mary Signature said that she has heard the phrase that it takes a whole village to raise a child; she said that she believes it also takes a community to support the older. frail members of our society. She said that one of her roles as case manager is to help facilitate the formation of that community. She said that even the driver that brings the home delivered meal ends up being a very important link and is a eery important part of that person's community. It may also be a visitor from the congregation, or neighbors looking in periodically who help form the community of support. Ms. Signature stated that one of her clients is a woman living along 93 years of age % ith no family or relatives, was never married, has no children. and has outlived her brother, who died about five years alto. Her neighbor called in the referral to ESVSS. They were worried about her, they thought that she wasn't taking care of herself and probably was not eating properly. She appeared forgetful and confused and the previous week her electricity had been shut off for lack of payment. The neighbors were able to get the electricity back on, but that was the impetus that caused them to call ESVSS. Nls. Signature visited the woman in her home and found that she was having difficulty. Her personal hygiene was suffering, there was not a lot of food in her refrigerator, the apartment into having home delivered meals. Slowly, over the next three or four weeks Ads. Signature 0 Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 Pace Sewcn found that there were several people in this woman's life, old family friends. and as she begam to trust Ms. Signature, she gave permission to his. Signature to speak with them. Nls. Signature said that they (Ms. Signature and the old family friends) had a meeting with the older womam and drew up a plan. She explained that they wanted her to help her stay in her apartment and bey independent, but that they felt very strongly that she needed to accept some help. Ms. Signature made an appointment for the woman to see a doctor. et up the commumity care homemakers services, which is a government sponsored program for Iower-income peatple and people who don't have a lot of assets. The homemaker helped her with her personal cam i.e., shopping, laundry, and housecleaning. She was also set up with a money management program that is operated out of the North Shore Senior Center, but serves Evanston residents as well. Ms. Signature said that she could not have done this without the woman's neighbors acid friends. She said that this was only one example of countless stories, each one being unique:. AS - Evanston Ecumenical Action Council/Hospitality Center i1kn1oring Prograw Tom Sullivan. Director of the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council (EEAC) said that for thirty years EEAC has been working with the churches of Evanston to meet the needs of the Evanston community. For the Iast fourteen }ears EEAC has been working with Connections for the Homeless to work with persons using a homeless day shelter. By working together they have been able to provide homeless individuals with counseling. support systems, personal belongings, and snacks. Ile added that over the last few years, EEAC has provided a job coordinator to help the homeless find jobs. With the acquisition of computers and a fax. EF--,C has been able to help the homeless find employment. Once they find employment. these individuals are forced to go out on their own with the support system left behind them at either Connections or the EEAC Hospitality Center. Studies have shown that people do not usuallh- stay at their first job. What EEAC has exp4rienced is that people leaving EEAC or Connections ultimately come back to the system again because they have been unable to make it withour ahe support that they had previously. Mr. Sullivan said that last year EEAC did some piloting work with the mentoring program. One of the volunteers within the EEAC Hospitality Center linked up %%ith two of abc young men at the Center and found that this was a great support for them. The men were able to maintain and work through their issues that they would not have been able to on their own. Because of this success, it "us decided to use a training program with volunteers -.+•ho would become mentors. EEAC asked volunteers from the Stephen Ministry to heir with the EE.AZ training program. Some of the administration that works at the overnight shelter at Connec uns was asked to come and speak with EEAC volunteers about the issues of homelessness. subsrance abuse, and mental health issues. Through the curriculum which is available through the Std?hen Ministry they talked about everything including support systems, to problem solving, a number of different topics that would help a mentor work with someone who needed that type of suMort. u Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24, 7000 Paue iEieht This past year EEAC has trained four people and they are in the process of finishing the scvxW training of four individuals. Next January EEAC will start their third training session and hope to have four or five individuals complete that class. EEAC has linked some of the mentors with homeless individuals: they have had good success and some slowness in linking some of the homeless with the mentors, because EEAC is using Connections as the agency which identifies those that are ready to move on to this "of support system. EEAC feels that this is an extremely cost-effective program because the curly funds that are being used are to pay a quarter -time coordinator to help with the training arvd for training materials. The rest of the funds comes from the various congregation, the trainers into have volunteered. and the peopic who have become mentors. Mr. Sullivan said lie ►►as neon asking for a cost of living increase for the coordinators position. Judith Treadway asked Mr. Sullivan to explain the Stephen Ministry. Mr. Sullivan responded that the Stephen Ministry was developed about 20 years ago by the Lutheran Church. It is an attempt to provide training for lay people to offset a lot of the work that clergy have traditionally done, i.e., counseling, grief counseling, working with everything from people who are going through illnesses to people who have lost their jobs. It is not a counseling program; it is a support system to help augment what congregations often will provide through their clergy. but will allow them to do far more by multiplying what the congregation can do. Aid. Drummer asked if Nfr. Sullivan ever found that some of the homeless do not m.-ant a job, they just want to be left alone. Mr. Sullivan said that EEAC works very closely with Connections and Connections has a policy that states that if someone is going to stay at the overnight shelter more than just a couple of night_-,. he/she must be committed to going through the program and seeking employment and independence. :old. Drummer said that he has heard of people who have been out of work for two years. He asked how anyone could be out of ►work for two years in this economy unless they just do not want to work. Aid. Drummer asked what Mr. Sullivan found was the reason people were homeless. Mr. Sullivan replied that he used to work with the Welfare Reform initiative in Illinois. One of the things they tried to do was to move people from welfare to work. One of the very first things they learned was that one cannot raise two or three children with a mom on $5.50 or $6.00 an hour. She can work full time. but she will not get out of poverty. So. can you get a job - probably so: can you be self-supporting on that salary - maybe not. A2 - Nterlyn Graham/Consfart and Joy Daj- Care Center Merlyn Graham said that her proposal was for the Comfort and Joy Day Care Center, which is in the process of being organized. Their mission statement was to provide care for parents who had to go back to school. or back to work and need quality care for their children. She said the mission of Comfort and Joy was to provide that care for infants and toddlers. x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24, 2000 l'iigr \Ime Employees at Comfort and Joy are committed to taking care of children in an efficient and professional manner. Each employee is expected to be well trained and acquire skill-builcfiazr techniques that enhances sro«th and development in early childhood education_ Nis. Grahann said that she wants to implement a program where these children can [earn and «hen they 1izzwe the Comfort and Joy Day Care Center, they will be ready for pre-school or Grad; 1. The children will have everything they need to develop physically, emotionally. materially and mentally. The procedures %vill be in keeping with the standards set by the licensing facility_ The ratio of children to teacher will be 8-1. In answer to a question from Sally Lufkin. Ms. Graham said that the day care center would have 20 - 30 children. She said she was still researching the cost for the -staffing positions. Ms. Graham said that she has targeted a building, but did not know if it was still available_ She also has a Plan B. where she would rent instead of buying a building. Ms. Graham said that the amount she requested ($50.000) would ensure that no child is left behind. No child would be neglected. abused, misused, or confused. This money would be used to ensure that everything is being done in the proper way and would be an asset to the community. Judith Treadway asked if the day care center was incorporated. Nis. Graham replied that she has the documentation, but not tilled out as yet. Ms. Treadway asked when Nis. Graham would open the day care center. Ms. Graham said that she was hoping to open in August or September of next year. If the building she has targeted to purchase is not available and if she has to rent a facility, she could open the day care center earlier. Ms. Treadway asked if Nis. Graham had consulted with the Evanston Child Care Network or Evanston Health Department regarding licensing procedures and/or trained staff. Ms. Graham replied that she has contacted the Evanston Day Care Counsel and done some research. She said slic has Lone to a orientation at DCFS and been assigned a licensing person to work with her. She has submitted an application at the Evanston Health Department, taken a physical, and done a police background check. Kenneth Rodgers asked if tits. Graham knew the requirements of a building to be used for childcare. his. Graham replied that she did. Mr. Rodgers asked if Nis. Graham had any background working with children or infants. Ms. Graham said she attended college in Jamaica for two years where she pursued Youth and Christian Education programs qualifying her with an Evangelical Teacher Training certification. She added that she has implemented a church day care school where she was the director, and also worked temporarily as a day care provider. s� Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 Pace Ten Mr. Rodgers asked how many people Ms- Graham has talked to about working with her. Ms. Graham replied that she has six or seven people. Aid. Drummers asked what hours the day care censer would be oFen. Nis. Graham said that, based on the need, the day care could have two shifts. Aid. Drummer said that on PSI 3, where it states investment income, would Ms. Graham explain what that is. Ms_ Graham said that in the last two or three years she has been working on a settlement, and if that settlement comes through, she would use that money for investing. Aid. Drummer had many questions regarding NIs. Graham's budget and advised her to talk to Sally Lufkin for help in fine tuning the budget. Aid. Kent asked INN. Graham to give the Committer more in-depth information regarding staffing when she returns to the Committee. Aid. Kent said that Ms. Graham has $20,000 listed for transportation. He asked what kind of transportation this was, vans to be purchased, or bus service or transit? Aid. Kent asked if any thought had been given to Title XX children in need ofday care. Ms. Graham said it would depend on how many children the daycare center would be licensed. Aid. Rainey stated that the Committee does not often get someone .sho %vas presenting a dream. She said the Committee usually funds ongoing highly established programs. Committee members have always debated how they could help someone who has something new to bring to the Committee. She said that the Committee has a responsibility to insure that federal money is used wisely. Aid. Rainey said she was sure that sometime in the future his. Graham would be successful, but that there was no way the Committee could give her a grant at this time. She said that the City has resources to help develop the daycare center. She said that Ms. Graham needed a business plan, money, and some kind of guidance in putting together a business of this kind. Day care is definitely a business. it requires a lot of money. Aid. Rainey suggested that Ms. Graham call Lloyd Shepard in the City's MBE/EBEy office. She said that she should also talk to Richard Holbrook, who operates the Evanston Small Business Development Center where he counsels and helps people find money for their business ventures. AG - Evanston/Northshore YWCAXranston Sheherjor Ballerrd Women and Their Children Christie Dailey, Executive Director of the Evanston YWCAINorthshore, said that the Evanston Shelter for Battered Women and Their Children was working at making themselves known as Domestic Violence Services. The reason for the name change was that in the last two years, they have grown far beyond just being an emergency shelter. She said that the Shelter has 32 beds and they are usually filled to capacity. There is a ?4-hour crisis line. In addition to meeting physical needs of women and children in the shelter, an array of support services if X". Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 Ilavc• R--%Tn offered: counseling, case management and many kinds of group activitie. for the women and children. There is a courthouse program, an outreach office at District 2 in Skokie tit help women with legal affairs, i.e. getting civil orders of protection, and an outreach educator Cuba, last year gave over 100 presentations and spoke to over 2.000 people. Nis. Dailey said that the YWCA now has four units of transitional rousing availabFe. There are four apartments (3 in Evanston, 1 in Rogers Park) and they are currently housing ] 3 individuals (4 adults and 9 children). The people are allowed to stay for up to two years. in addition to providing the housing subsidy, the YWCA provides other subsidies such as childcare and therapy. They have found that these are the biggest barriers to women. if the women can get some support for therapy and childcare, they can start to create permanent change in their hives. While the apartment is heavily subsidized during the first year of occupancy, during the second year it is a diminishing subsidy. At the end of the two-year period, the woman is carrying the full rent. The intent is for the YWCA to pull out of the apartment, leaving the family stabilized, in place, the children enrolled in school systems, and everyone knowing transportation rouses, grocery store, etc. Nis. Dailey said that the YWCA is working with the Evanston Hospital to provide a medical advocacy program. The program will work along similar lines to the courthouse program, there will be an outreach office at the hospital with a domestic %iolence counselor on call. The Shelter is hoping to provide training to the physicians so that screening becomes universal in every practice at the hospital. Nis. Dailey said that the Shelter has started walk-in support groups to reach women who choose not to pursue their residential services, but who are residents of the area and need to get counseling and support. The heart of the services at the Shelter is victim services. ;his. Dailey said that the Shelter has a new prevention program. They are working with elementary school children, 3rd, 40L and 5th graders. They have piloted a program in Oakton School for the past two years, and this year have received funding to start a program at Timber Ridge School, as well as Meltzer School in Morton Grove and Apollo School in Des Plaines. They do lunch time support groups, ten -week sessions, curriculum based program and they teach anti -violence skills that range from self- esteem and self-confidence building to conflict negotiation and anger management/impulse control so that kids have a chance to break out of the cycle of abuse. Ald. Rainey asked what the nature of domestic violence is in Evanston compared v6ith five years ago. Nis. Dailey replied that she was seeing an increase in the number of cases. 'More and more domestic violence is one thread in women's lives that includes substance abuse and mental illness. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 Pave Twelve A13 -Metropolitan Family Sen'ices/ElderAbuse Prevention Counseling Carla Frisch, Supervisor of the Elder :abuse Program, said that the Elder Abuse Program is a small, but important program for the people they serve. She said that the EIder Abuse Program gets state funding to be the designated agency- to serve as the elder abuse agency for Evanston and Niles Township. That funding provides bachelors level casework services to investigate whether elder abuse is going on and to develop intervention to stop the abuse. The CDBG funding allows Metropolitan Family Services to have masters level therapy and counseling for eight sessions for eight clients. The elder abuse program's history has shown that they actually serve 12 clients per year. This year the Elder Abuse Program is already around 14 clients and have given 47 counseling sessions with five months remaining in the program year. Ms. Frisch attributed the rise in clients to mandatory reporting that start:d January I. 1999 and the great relationships they have with other agencies. All the clients that have been served with CDBG money have had risk levels reduced or maintained, if they were at a minimum or low level. 1Nis. Frisch said that the elder abuse prevention counseling meets CDBG goals by providing safe housing; protecting persons and property. gives access to benefits by decreasing the crisis so that clients can be helped to get the benefits they are eligible for, and obtain substance abuse treatment for clients. She added that most clients are low income. Nis. Frisch gave a few examples of the people the Elder Abuse Prevention program has helped. Aid. Kent said that it seems that seniors are targeted for predatory lending. He asked if this was something that Nis. Frisch could discuss with her board and help stand up against. Ms. Frisch said that the Social Policy Department of Metropolitan Family Ser-ices (NIFS) is working on predatory loan and payday loan issues. She said that the Elder Abuse Program has helped clients deal with predatory loans. Ms. Frisch said that Metropolitan Family Services is looking at getting the law changed regarding predatory and payday loans. Aid. Kent said it was one thing to be one or two months behind on a mortgage, but he was talking about people that arc seven or eight months behind. He said that the getting the law changed was great, but it couldn't be changed overnight. Ms. Frisch gave three examples of where first a family member abused the elder person, and then because: they were having trouble financially, Metropolitan Family Services got involved with predatory loans. She felt that if the agency can get involved before the elder person gets involved with predatory loans, that is haw they can be of help. She added that if they are starting to get involved or are involved in the predatory loans, they can try to get the seniors out of them. Aid. Rainey asked if payday loan stores give advances on social security- checks. Ms. Frisch said that she understands that you have to show a paycheck stub and then you write a check for two weeks. AId. Rainey asked Ms. Frisch to find out for sure if the payday stores give loans on social security checks. x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 2.1. 2000 Pact. 'Thirteen A22 - Reba Place Day Nursen•IRenovation and Enhancement llwject Toya Campbell, Chair of the Board for Reba Place Day Nursen• (RPDN), gave a background of RPDN. She said that RPDN was founded in 1966 with a mission to provide the highest quality childcare and preschool education for families with young children. She said that RPDN strives to include families of all backgrounds. diverse in culture, race. religion and socioeconomic backgrounds. Most of the families live in south Evanston within the CDBG targeted area. Fifty-six percent of the families currently served at RPDN are eligible fir publicly subsidized childcare. The public subsidy that RPDN receives to care for a low-income family covers approximately 64% of the actual cost of care for that child. 1n RPDN's efforts to provide exceptional quality childcare there are not any extra funds to maintain or upgrade their facility sufficiently. The objective of RPDN's proposed CDBG project is to improve the safety and quality of their program by making structural improvements to the facility as well as upgrading the environmental elements within that facility. She categorized RPDN's needs into five major areas: the facility and security renovation, playlot renovation, indoor climber renovation, environmental and streetscape. These facility improvements address eight of the Consolidated PIan objectives outlined for the CDBG target area. Ms. Campbell said that if RPDN receives their requested grant. it will be used for the follo,6%ing: installation of improved security measures for their main entrance and exit doors, radio communication devices when children are outside of the facility, improved telephone system so parents and teachers can better communicate, and a TDD Iine, which will allow RPDN to comply with the Department of Children and Family Services. The money will also buy playground tiles, a paved bike and running path, replacement of a ladder with stairs for the indoor climbing structure, and mounted storage cabinets. It will enable RPDN to replace wooden cabinets in the kitchen with steel cabinets, upgrade the current Geezer and dishwasher and purchase new stainless steel table for food preparation, all per Evanston licalth Department regulations. Aid. Drummer asked how many children are served by RPDN. Nos. Campbell replied that currently they have 39 with a capacity to serve 48. Aid. Kent asked whether RPDN is going to need a whole new phone service with cellular phones. and what was the purpose of having two-way radios. Ms. Campbell said that it would be cheaper to operate the two-way radios than the cell phones. He said that he noticed that in RPDN's budget, the playground tiles for the playlot have a total cost 59,000. Ms. Campbell said that currently, there are wood chips under the climber, and the problem is that two-year olds eat them. Judith Treadway asked ifRPDN*s total planned capital improvements were a necessity because of the health code, fire code, etc. Ms. Campbell said that DCFS has said that if families X Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 14. 1000 Nee Four2em in need arc being smed. you must har►e a TDD line. The cabbies are also a DCFS requirer..as rtt. All kitchen improvements are because of suggestions from the Evanston Health Department In the event the Committee cain fund the entire amount requested, Ms. Tread%%ay- asked Ms. Campbell to give the Committee a prioritized list of needs to be done this year. %Is. Treadway said that, perhaps Nis. Campbell could come back to the Committee next year to apply for a grant to finish the impmvemcnts w the RPDN tacility. Aid. Feldman said that this (Efousing and Community Development Act Committeeo is where the community interacts with government. fie said he felt that this is the future of communities. AId. Feldman said thai if ever there "as an organization. a service to the community that really represented Evm ston's values. it is RPDN. lie added that RPDN does their job in a tray that does astonishing credit to us all. Al Youth Job Center/Job Readiness, Job Placentent and Follnn-rep Services Ann Jennett. Executive Director. introduced her staff. Judv Pfeifer, Adrian Go odrrimi. Suzanne Auburn. L.avada Robinson. Sacella Smith, Cynthia Anglimand JelTConney and Katherine Hayden. board members. Ms. Jennet drew the Committ-c-r's attention to the e-mail she received from Century Theaters. She said that at the job fair conducted by YJC and Century Theaters, over 75 young people applied and Century Theaters mired 51 of them. She said that YJC's regular core program is job placement. Eighty-one percent of the young people who come to YJC are lo.y to moderate income, a high percentage of them are minority who have some trouble finding jobs on their own. While the economy is good, if you don't have the skills to get you in the 3(.)or and keep the job you are out of luck. A lot of what YJC does involves pre -job counseling. training and social .work. Ms. Jennett said The Welfare to Work Program has been very successful and YJC now works with people who receive other :ypes of well'are. or are termed chronically unemployed. This program provides four weeks of intensive training in everything from goal setting, conflict resolution, dealing with domestic violence:, interview skills, and budgeting money. She said YJC has a very high placement rate and a %-cry high job retention rate. Ms. Jennett said that YJC has an outpost at ETI IS. which is %where YJC reaches the majority of young people. The young people are guided in many areas: i.e. what courses to take, issues regarding housing, teen pregnancy, etc_ Ms. Jennett invited Committee members to attend YJC's second annual retreat celebration for SCA or Welfare to �Vork participants. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 24. 2000 face Fitiren Ms. Jennett said that YJC's budget is growing each year and CDBG is still their lar~-Cst source of funds. However, every year CDBG funds are becoming a smaller percentageof Y JC's total budget. Aid. Drummer asked if YJC worked with the new Dominick's that has opened in Evanston. She said that she has, but not as much as she would have liked. Aid. Drummer said he wanted City staff to understand that when a new project opens and there is a chance for employment, he wants the business to b-- referred to YJC. Ms. Jennett said she encouraged that because when you have a formalized structure, such as YJC had with Century Theaters and now have with Wolfgang Puck Cafd, it mares all the difference in helping young people find jobs. Aid. Kent said that YJC's Summer Tutors program is still his very favorite program. Ile said he would like to see students from some of the colleges come and tutor the children all the way through high school. Judith Treadway asked its. Jermett to explain Evanston Township Highschool's support of the YJC program. Has there been any financial support, staffing support or other resources? Ms. Jennett said that ETI IS has not gi,en them anything but has provided office space. She said the Superintendent feels that it's YJC's job to find jobs for all Evanston youth and ETHS is just offering another place for YJC to do its job. She said the hard part is that the office at ETHS means more staff and equipment. For the record, she said it was great to be at ETHS. Aid. Rainey said she remembered that when TIF funds were allocated to the schools, the City Council had attached some requirements having to do with job training. Aldermen Drummer and Bernstein agreed. It was agreed to investigate this provision further. COMMUNICATIONS 2000 MI-iB-United Way Allocation Review Requests The communication was accepted into the record by Aid. Drummer. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee. they adjourned at 10:28 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Mary E. skc Executi% Secretarv/Evanston Planning DivisionlNovember 8. 2000 DRAFT NOT QpgOVER, HOUSING AND COMMUNITV DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE f. MINUTES Tuesday, October 17. 2000 7:00 P.I. - City Council Chambers Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid. Drummer, Aid. Bernstein. Aid. Rainey, Horace Payne, Kenneth Rodgers, David Schoenfeld, Judith Treadway, MEMBERS ABSENT: Aid. Kent CHAIR: Aid. Drummer STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Mary Baaske OTHERS PRESENT: Marie Vesely, Jean Klingberg. Todd Vanneck. Connections for the Homeless: Teri Talan, Evanston Day Nurserv: Delores Holmes. Diane Hildder, Family Focus, Renee Wilson. Nancy Anderson. Senior Action Service; Mona Grimes, Michael Hurley. «'illiam Perry. Mark Tendum. Vince Gillan, BEHIN': Rev. H.E. Lane, Janice Lane, Demond Mills, Jimmy Riddle. Fisher Memorial AME Zion Church; Linda Trittipo, Meals at Home: Kathy Swanson, Legal Assistance Foundation Chicago; Lupita Acotsta-ti'ava. Robert Roy, Nareen Kim. Evanston Community Defender, Rev. Gaston Warner, Hememsay United Methodist Church PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Aid. Drummer, Chair I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:11 p.m. Aid. Drummer thanked the audience for attending this CDBG meeting. He explained the procedure for discussing each application with the Committee: S minutes to discuss the application and ten minutes to answer questions from the Committee. Aid. Drummer welcomed and introduced the new Housing and Community Development Act Committee member, David Schoenfeld. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17. 2000 Pa ee Two II. STAFF OVERVIEW OF ESTIMATED 200I/02 CDBG PROGRAM FUNDING AND PROPOSED REALLOCATIONS OF UNEXPENDED CDBG FUNDING. Sally Lufkin, CDBG Grants Administrator, gave a brief overview of the estimated grant amount that the City will receive for FY 2001/02 from HUD. She said that Nicki Modaber has conservatively estimated the amount of funds that would be available to the City at S2,230,000. Proposed reallocations of unused funds from completed prior years projects are $244.791. Ms. Lufkin explained that there were 44 applications received for 2001 /02 CDBG funds; 23 ; r agency requests totaling; S1,069,488, and 21 City of Evanston requests totaling $3,229,100. III. 200I/02 CDBG PROGRAM - Agency Application Review A3 - Connections for the Homeless/Family Housing Services Todd Vanneck, treasurer of the Board of Directors for Connections for the Homeless, said that Connections was based at the Lake Street Church of Evanston at 607 Lake Street. He introduced Marie Vesely, director of Family Housing Services at Connections for the Homeless. Ms. Vesely stated that Connections was seeking continued CDBG funding for staff' to provide supportive services to Family Housing Services clients. She explained that Family Housing Services provides three kinds of service; information and referral, case management with financial assistance (rent, security deposit), and transitional housing with intensive supportive services for young; families with young children. The goals of their programs are to assist Evanston residents and to reduce and prevent homelessness. Ms. Vesely said Connections has received 1-IUD Supernofa funding, but as a part of receiving that grant, they are required to match 201,0 - 25% for the supportive services that are provided to families. 'There are additional demands on these programs because additional prevention dollars have been provided. but not a similar increase in support for staff. She said that they have found that many of their families, even though they have no jobs and have children, are getting turned away and turned down from getting benefits. ti'Is. Vesely added that her agency was spending more time advocating for these families to get benefits, particularly so that they can get into training; programs and have their child care and transportation partially subsidized while they are trying to get back on their feet. The vast majority of the families Connections serves are working poor who have temporary, part-time kinds of jobs. Judith Treadway asked the age range of the younger families. Ms. Vesely replied that they were targeting families with at least one child under the age of six. Generally, the families are single moms under the age of 30 and frequently under 25. She said there are some young; women who are still in high school. This is a two-year program that will give the young women ex I Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17. 2600 Page Three ` and their children a good start with the hope that in the future they will be self sufficient and able to retain their housini`_ Aid. Drummer asked if Ms. Vesely saw the numbers increasing or declining. Ms. Vesely said that she thought the numbers would increase because the cost of living is increasing, but not commensurate with her clients' ability to make enough money. Aid. Drummer asked what qualified someone for the Family Housing Services program. Ms. Vesely said that living in Evanston, staving children under the age of eighteen, and for transitional housing at least one child under the age of six, a willingness to participate in the transitional housing program with a case manager, to have someone take a look at vour budget, how you take care of you children, what your needs are. what your skills are in terms of earning money, and a willingness to make some changes and be independent and be on your own. Kenneth Rodgers asked if Family Housing Services also helped single fathers. Ms. Vesely replied that they have had single fathers, but the vast majority of their clients are single mothers. Al2 - Meals at Home Linda Trittipo, Executive Director, explained that her organization has been in business for 32 years and that she operates the program out of her home. She said that Meals at home delivers meals for people who cannot get out to shop and cook for themselves. They deliver to persons living in Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Northfield, and Glenview. Ms. Trittipo said that she was asking for funding help with a new program of delivery of home meals on Saturday, which began last September. Beals at Home has been buying their meals at St. Francis Hospital. Unfortunately, St. Francis Hospital has recently increased their price 55%. She said that she found that their Saturday clients were the most isolated, the most Iow-income, they were the people who needed help more than anyone. I'As. Trittipo said that she is seeking CDBG funding to bridge the gap in cost of the meals purchased from St. Francis While she seeks other funding to continue the Saturday program in future years. Aid. Rainey commented that this was a program for people who can't go anywhere, for the most part homebound, and unable to avail themselves of such services as Senior Meals at Fleetwood Jourdain. or any of the other senior centers around. She said that these were people that if someone did not bring them food. they did not eat. Aid. Rainey said that she believed that if ever there was a program the Committee should help. it was this one. Judith Treadway asked how many of Ms. "rrittipo's clients were Evanston residents. Ms. Trittipo replied that 19 of the people served were Evanston residents. k Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17. 2000 Page Four Kenneth Rodeers asked how people got on her list of clientele. Ms. Trittipo said that names come from hospitals, social workers, family members. etc. A15 - Senior Action Service, Inc Nancy Anderson, Executive Director of Senior Action Service (SASI) introduced Sue Calder, President. and Renee Wilson a graduate of their previous senior care provider educational program_ his. Andersen explained that in December SASI will be celebrating twenty-five years of service in the community. During most of that time SASI has been known for the provision of quality home cart to the elderly. Last year the agency served over 100 households, many of which were more than one person. She said that. at the same time they are supplying; home care they are supplying employment for 60 Evanston residents who are serving as care givers. Ms. Anderson said that the care -giving business has changed tremendously over the last few years. Renee Wilson said she attended SASI in 1995 and is now employed as a care provider. She added that she has recently been promoted to a field monitor. ,tics. Wilson said there is a great need for care providers throughout Evanston and many other cities in Illinois. She explained that most of her knowledge was gained from going through the program at SASI. With more funding. SASI would be able to help more caregivers go though their program. In response to Sally Lufkin's question, Nis. Anderson said that of the number 45/335, 45 represents the caregivers to be trained and the 335 number are the clients to be served. She added that the same thing was true of the 43/250 number. These numbers were determined by what they see now in their program. Most of the clients they serve in Evanston are low/middle income people; most reside in the: CDBG target areas. Ald. Rainey asked Ms. Anderson to explain how the employes of SASI are paid. how they are trained, if they are subsidized for the; training, and how the person requiring care pays. ,GIs. Anderson replied that the training for (lie first year is a pilot program and is totally underwritten. After the first year, SASI will be Iooking at other funding plans, including tuition, to pay for this program. The current caregivers go to homes where the client pays them directly and they pay the Agency a small tire. The caregivers are paid S9/hr and the agency receives 5.95 cents per hour. The caregiver is responsible for paying his/her own taxes. Many of the clients being cared for pay the social security taxes for the caregiver. Ms. Anderson added SASI certainly wanted to establish a much higher plane of activity in terms of'both insurance and wages. Ald. Rainey asked if any of the care given by SASI is underwritten by insurance or long- term health care. Ms. Anderson said that SASI is a home care service versus a home health care agency and none of their services are underwritten by insurance or long-term health care. Aid. Rainey asked how many people were working for SASI. Ms. Anderson said that approximately 100 people were working through them. ri- Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17.2000 Pa e� Five ' Judith Treadway said that SASI's funding request %vas actually related to the personnel who would be visiting elderly people in their home. Nis. Anderson replied that %vas correct- and it was not just in homes. but also assisted living care facilities. Aid. Drummer asked ifthe caregivers had any kind of certification. Nis. Anderson said that the caregivers were either certified nursing assistants or have been doing this hind of work for a number of years. She said that in the last year SASI has insisted that caregivers take at least one course from SASI of at least three hours a year. Horace Payne asked if someone from SASI followed up on the care given to the clients by the SASI caregivers. Nis. Anderson said that a lot of phone calls are made, and as soon as they have more funding, SASI will hire a second person to make visits in person. She added that a lot of outreach is done through other agencies. such as Metropolitan Family Service and they often report back to SASI. Kenneth Rodgers asked if SASI was associated with the Visiting Nursing Association. Ms. Anderson said that SASI was not affiliated with them, but that they do refer clients to SASI. A19 - FAMILY FOCUS11f'eisshourd-Holmes Center Delores Holmes. Director of Family Focus Evanston, explained that their proposal this year was for funds to replace aging gutters on the north end of their building. She explained that the while the building was owned by a private not -for -profit, the building is treated as a public facility housing many other not -far -profits. tits. Holmes thanked the Committee for its financial support in the past and said this proposal was for funds for the last phase of a five-year plan that Family Focus had put together to get the building in working order. A20 - HEM ENWAY UNITED NIETIIODIST CHURCH/Soup at Six Rev. Gaston Warner. pastor of Hemenway United \lethodist Church, explained that Soup at Six has used the I Iemenway building for about eighteen years. He said that the program was started in 1982 by a group of people %%ho had gotten together and decided to do what they could for the poor. The Soup Kitchen is currently serving approximately 120 people every Tuesday night. Rev. Warner said that Soup at Six was the first soup kitchen in Evanston and a lot of other soup kitchens have started following the Soup at Six model. Hemenway is seeking CDBG funding to bring the kitchen into compliance with the Cite Health Department requirements to make the building into ADA compliance.. He added that there is no paid staff, and the kitchen at the Church has not been renovated since 1940. s J Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17.2000 1'st a tiix Judith Treadway asked if Rev. Warner had a timeframe on the S50,01k1 for the stair -lift. Reverend Warner said he had a proposal for the stair -lift that lie would share with the Committee. He added that the stair -lift would cost approximately S25,000 and the ADA improvements to the bathroom would be approximately $25.000. David Schoenfeld asked whether Rev. Warner had given any thought to phasing in some of these proposed changes and if it were possible, how he would prioritize the various requests for which he was seeking funding. Rev. Warner replied that they have already- begun to look for used sinks, etc, anything that they could find that would meet the health code. The problem they are encountering is that the Health Department is fairly insistent that the church have their kitchen completed within a year. He added that they are phasing some things in, but the major work has to be done all at once. Mr. Schoenfeld asked if it would be possible for Rev. Warner to come back to the Committee next year for funding for part of the proposed improvements and could get started with a portion of the project this year. Rev. Warmer said that if the Health Department would allow the Church to do this, they would be happy to do it that way. However, he was told by the agent that came to the Church that they were in imminent danger of being shut down unless all the improvement were made. The ADA accessibility could be done at a later date. but he said the Church would hate to delay access to this program to anyone. Aid. Rainey said that regarding ADA accessibility, she has recently spoken with Max Rubin, Director of Facilities Management, and said that he has recently discovered a chair lift that meets all code requirements and is about half the price of the one Rev. Warner has in his funding request. She suggested that Rev. Warner call Mr. Rubin for information. Kenneth Rodgers asked if the Health Department has just recently told the Church about the health code violations, or has the Health Department been discussing code violations for some time. Rev. Warner replied that it was his understanding that the Health Department has made increased requests this year. He said that the Church has spent S10,000 this year bringing the building up to the fire code safety laws. Al - Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago/LegalServices Kathy S,,ti-anson. Supervisory Attorney with the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago stated she was present at tonight's meeting for Bill Kolen, Supervisory Attorney of the Evanston office, who was out of town. Ms. Swanson said that on November 30, 1999 Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation closed its doors forever. The Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago took over this service area on December 1, I999. There was a seamless transition. and there never was a time that clients who needed legal services were unserved. She added that within the last month. the Legal W Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17. 2600 Page Sevow Assistance Foundation officially- changed its name to the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago to more accurately describe their service area that is now all of C�Lwk County. Ms. Swanson said that the Evanston office has almost entirely the same staff it ]bad under Cook Count), LegaI Assistance with the exception of a paralegal who left to work for site Attorney General's office. There have been several staff additions to the Evanston office. Judith Treadway asked if his. Swanson was going to give some statistics on sub -prime lending situations. Ms. Swanson said that statistics were not broken out along those lines.. but that she could get that information to the Committee tomorrow. David Schoenfeld asked if the Legal Assistance Foundation relies on volunteer serviires provided by lawyers in private practice to service their clients. Ms. Swanson said that ttbe organization had a large staff of 70 attorneys, plus paralegals and support staff. However. daey are required by a major (under (The Legal Services Corporation) to use 12 112% of their budget to develop pro Bono programs. The Legal Assistance Foundation has a huge pro bono effort in all areas of law and at all levels of volunteerism. She said the Evanston office has some volunteer attorneys and there is a legal clinic at the North Shore Senior Center that is available to seniors in Evanston and the people in the north and northwest suburbs. That center is staffed entirely by volunteer attorneys. Al - BEHIVICo»nrtunhf v Unity Mark Tendum, President of the Board of Directors of Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV), introduced James Watts, Board Member; Mona Grimes, Director of Prevention; Vince Gillan, Project Coordinator of Community Unity 1; and William Perry, outreach worker. Mona Grimes told the Committee that BEHIV was founded in 1989 and is an Evanston not -for -profit based organization that provides HIV and AIDS services and prevention services in Evanston and northern Cook County. Currently, BEFIIV has a professional staff of 23 with 97 volunteers. BEHIV collaborates with many social service agencies in Evanston (Connection for the Homeless, Evanston Neighbors at Work, Fleetwood Jourdain, and the Evanston Health Department). She said that program goals for 2001102 are risk reduction education, referrals &T 14,500 people (duplicated). risk reduction workshops for 300 people, prevention caste management services for I I I people (unduplicated), and monthly IIIV testing and counseling services for 120 people. Ms. Grimes said that BEHIV Community Unity I program tvas established in 1992 and because of CDBG funding received, BEHIV was able to leverage dollars from the Cook County Department of Public Health and expanded this program in 1995. The Community Unity project provides risk reduction education, HIV counseling and testing, and referral for high -risk - populations through four different venues (street and community outreach. risk reduction workshops, prevention case management, and HIV counseling and testing). �c� Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17.2000 PaL a Eight Ms. Grimes stated that Evanston has reported the second highest number of cases of AIDS in Illinois outside the City of Chica=o. She said there was an increase in the number of women and teens with AIDS. Vince Gillan mentioned that BEHIV collaborates with many of the churches and organizations in Evanston. AId. Drummer asked how many new cases of AIDS were reported in 1999. Ms. Grimes stated that there were approximately 244 cumulative cases reported. Mr. Gillan added that Center for Disease Control (CDC) uses a formula that for every reported case there are six unreported cases. Ms. Treadway said she was concerned about the outreach to people not traditionally on the street and asked what BEHIV does for adults and teens. 41r. Gillan replied that the main bull: of BEFIIV's funding; source is the CDC. The CDC decided they were going to chase the virus and they use EPI data to do this. At this time, Mr. Gillan said his program included heterosexual injection drug use, sex workers, high -risk youth, and there is a program that targets men having, sex with men. because according to the EPI data, this is ~-here the virus is most active. The problem is that people who are healthy or not %%-hit the data shows are at -risk people do get lost. Fie said that what BEHIV can do is increase their presence at fairs, churches. etc. Aid. Drummer said that in the BEHIV application they refer to duplicated numbers. He asked if Mr. Gillan had a sense of why people will not take advice and have to keep coming back for referrals. Mr. Gillan said that a good percentage of the population referred to in duplicated referrals is addictive. I -le said that he has people he has referred for assistance three or four times. Fie added that dealing with people on the street, until you address their other needs, (a place to star, food, glasses, etc.) they don't hear you. Mr. Gillan stated that there is no simple answer, it's the nature of addiction. Mr. Gillan said that last year peer educators were trained in the high school, the program follows CDC guidelines and the national trends of training peers teach other. Ms. Grimes stated that an educational outreach worker for teens was not funded this year. She explained that, at one time, they had a part-time educational outreach worker, but now BEHIV has folded that program into volunteer services. She added that BEHIV has several speakers that are available to go to the schools to help educate young people. Aid. Bernstein asked if any of the schools had in-house programs to address these concerns. fir. Gillan replied that was needed to investigate this phase of I-IIV education. X. Housing and Community Development Act Committee '' Minutes -October 17. 2000 Pn;e Vine Judith Treadway asked whether BEHIV has the capacity to educate teens to be peer educators. Mr. Gillan said that Mr. Stife (Mr. Stife used to wort: for BEHIV) teaches a National CDC peer education workshop. Participants receive a certificate from the CDC and the American Red Cross. Ms. Treadway asked if there were any teens that were currently peer educators in ETHS. tits. Gillan replied that last year there were eight. Kenneth Rodgers asked if BEHIV was going to Black Churches seeking volunteers. Ms. Grimes said that they were currently seeking volunteers in churches. A4 - EVANSTON COMMUNITY DEFENDERIEvanston ConimunIT Defender's Office Robert Roy, Managing Attorney, gave the Committee a history of one of the young people his office had helped. fie said that the Evanston Community Dcfender's Office (ECDO) is a community based law office, which combines the practice of social work and law. He introduced Noreen Kim, and Lupita Acosta -Nava, of the Evanston Community Defender's Office who are both attorneys and experienced in social work. Mr. Roy explained that ECDO's program is basically a free standing, not -for -profit run by a Board of Directors which takes into consideration local need studies, such as the United Way Need Study. This study stated that the highest priority of this community is the behavior of youth. Mr. Roy stated the following statistics: 100% of ECDO's clients are low income, 100% are Evanston residents, approximately 80% are male, 20% are female, 68% of his clients are 16 or younger; 14% are 13 or younger; 71% are living in households supported by mothers, aunts, grandmothers. He said that not everyone ECDO represents have unstable families or emotional problems. They also help people that have minor one-time cases and come from very good families. The Defender's office is trying to have the court system place emphasis not only on the offense, but also on the offender. They have been able to help families find services when they were looking in the %Vrong department. Mr. Roy said that the business plan for his office is to realize that there really is no such thing as luck. It's nothing more than a crossroads between preparation and opportunity_ A lot of the people that come to ECDO have some very deep social and emotional problems. ECDO's goal is to bring people to long-term service providers. so a long time ago a crisis intmention social .vork service program, that is very non-traditional, was created. The social work component depends on outreach, to develop a connection to an individual and to find in that individual somebody in whom they can trust. Twenty percent of the population that ECDO serves is female, as teenage girls did not feel comfortable in the more traditional groups that were there for teenage girls. ECDO has also developed a sibling support group. Many of the young girls in the first girls group %vere pregnant teenagers who talked about their biological fathers and how they wish that they were involved in x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes -October 17. 2000 Page Ten their lies, but weren't. ECDO received funding tmin1 Unitod Way foc ,a developmental grant to help young men with children move closer to the concept of what it \%aLs like to K— a father. A7 - Fisher Memorial A1fE Zion ChurchlFresh Starr Program Rev. Ilardist E. Lane. explained that Fisher Memorial AME Zion Church is, seeking funding to assist with a ministry to ex-olfenders coming out of prison The program is called Fresh Start. With felonies on the ex -offender's record it is difficult to reintegrate back in to the Evanston community. He said that he has been working %%ith ex-offend-ers to bring them back to the community. 41ost companies will not hire them because they are ex -offenders. The church goes to these employers and tells them that given a chance, these Wren .%ill do a great job. Nlany times they go to landlords and persuade them to rent to these men. sometimes the church has to help with the first week's rent. They arrange for transportation to the job and many times they help with the clothing needed for the job. Rev. Lane introduced two men from the audience, Mr. Demond Mills and Jimmy Riddle, who were participants of the Fresh Start program. Judith "rread,.%ay asked Rev. Lane if Ile had done a budget for this program. Rev. Lane said that he uses what he calls Benevolent funding. Fisher Memorial AhIE Zion Church has been sponsoring the Fresh Start program for the past two years. Aid. Drummer explained that the federal government requires that the Committee receive budgetary information. He explained that the Committee needs a detailed budget showing how the money requested from the Committee would be spent. Aid. Drurnmer asked what kind of success Rev. Lane was haying with employers when they are approached «ith this program. Rev. Lane said that many of them believe that this program will work and they invite this kind of a program. He said that the employer asks the Church to do some counseling: with their client. Aid. Rainey said that one of the problems on the south end of town is not only are there problematic people born and raised in Evanston. but there are real serious problems coming from Chicago engaging some of Evanston's problematic people. She said she was having a little bit of diFficulty thinking that Nve arc soliciting parolees from Rogers Park. Aid. Rainey felt that there were enough Evanston parolees without getting more from Chicago. She asked if Rev. Lane couldn't get a Church from Chicago to do the same kind of prograrn that Rev. Lane and his church are doing. Rev. Lane felt that in the near future: Rogers Park would have its own program. Ald. Rainey asked where Rev. Lane finds housing for these people. Rev. Lane said that because many times these people do not have credit, someone has to be an advocate for them to get them in to a good environment. He said that sometimes, the church pays their security deposit and first month's rent. x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - October 17. 2000 Page Eleven'' Aid. Drummer asked how long the average pem n is in the Fresh Start Program. Rev. Lane said that the amount of time varies with each individual. Aid. Drummer and Aid. Bernstein thanked Rev. Lane for the years of dedication he has given to the community. A18 - EVANSTON DAY NURSERY/Child Carr Erpansion Impro►entent Teri Talan, Executive Director of the Evanston Dav Nursery (EDN) said that the Nursery is located at 1835 Grant Street, in a Victorian era houx located in a residential neighborhood. She said that with the help of the CD Committee, the EDN has doubled in size in the last twelve Years. Ms. Talan referred to the Illinois Childcarc Task Force report, which indicated a need for increased services for early care and education in sorne specific areas. One highlighted area concerned infant and toddler care. School age care was not addressed because it was beyond the scope of the investigation and feasibility study. But. MS. Talan stated there is a great need for school age care. Nis. Talan said there is a very profound need for care that meets the needs of the low/moderate income family, the family that is still poor_ but ineligible for child care subsidy because their family income falls between the 50 and 80 percentile of the State median income. There is a service gap of approximately 400 children in tl:-. service area that are not eligible for a child care subsidy from the state, but who cannot really afford the market cost of childcare. This is the population which EDN has been committed to ser-%ing for quite some time. In the past it hasn't al-vays been the most popular group to be serving. A single mom with two children making $23.000 a year would Iose her childcare subsidy- because she would hit that economic cliff that entitles subsidy from the State. 4lany programs cannot afford to continue to help those families. At EDN a commitment has been made to not send those families away, so children stay with them for up to seven years. Over time EDN has become a hind of community center for these families. EDN now provides a much broader range of services for families aad extended families into the evening; hours. Aid. Drummer asked about relocation of the tenant from the second floor apartment. 1is. Talan said there was no issue about relocation. EDN's - ith the tenant ended October I, 2000 by design because the Board has been working to expand the program to the upstairs space. There really is no issue in terms of relocation. Also. the City Zoning Division has been contacted and they don't foresee any problems with converting the apartment to classroom space. Final approval would be contingent on reviewing; actual building plans. Hoaxing and Community Development Art Committee ; Minutes - October 17, 2000 Page Twelve . . Aa Drummer asked if EDN's intentions were to serve 15 more children. Nis. Talan said she is actively involved in a community -vide collaboration process dealing with the childcare needs that has been built on the Illinois Facilities Funds Study. She said she didn't want to request funds for a specific group, and then out of this collaborative effort decide that they needed to serve a different age group. CON12%1UNICATIONS A- Information on new committee member, David E. Schoenfeld B. Copy of Letter of Invitation to Evanston Housing Commission for November 1,2000 Application Review Meeting C. Letter from BEHIV advising status of Executive Director search process D. Letter from Family Focus announcing appointment of Executive Director Kevin R. Limbeck E. Copies of Inserts for agency applications; (1) A3 - Connections for the Homeless - pages PS7 & PS (2) AG - Evanstort/Northshore YWCA - Certification, Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy and 1999 Audit. (3) AI I - Legal assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago - pages PS24 and IIS25 and Board of Directors List (4) Al2 - Nlcals at I40NIE - Certification. 9/20/00 Board of Directors' Minutes, and 1999/00 Audit (5) A 14 - North Shore Senior Center - Board of Director's Minutes 8/21/00; Affirmative Action Program and By-laws (6) A 15 - Senior Action Service - Pages PS I I & PS 12 (7) A21 - Over the Rainbow Association - Informational Materials F. Copies of Applications Submitted to the City's Mental Health Board: Connections for the Homeless, Evanston Community Defender, Metropolitan Family Services, North Shore Senior Center G. Newspaper Articles Communications were accepted into the record. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, they adjourned at 10:20 p.m. Respectfully su' MaryVeselcIreolarv, ExecOctober 30. 2000 x HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE; MINUTES Thursday, August 17, 2000 7:30 P.M. — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid. Dnuntner, Ald. Kent, Ald. Rainey, Horace Payne, Kennesb Rodgers, Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: ALL Bernstein STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, James Welinski, Community Development Department OTHERS PRESENT: Mary Pat Kerrigan, Paaicia Vance, Vim Joshi, CEDAINeighbors at Work; Angelo Nikolov. Toddler Town Day Care; Bennett Johnson PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Ald. Drummer, Chair L CALL TO ORDER/DECLARATION OF QUORUM Aid. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:38 p-m., a quorum being present. H. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 20 AND JULY 18, 2000 MEETINGS Aid. Rainey made a motion, to approve the minutes of the Committee's June 20 and July 18, 2000 meetings; motion seconded by Judith Treadway. Motion carried: 5-0. (One member arrived later in meeting.) M. REQUEST FROM TODDLER TOWN DAY CARE FOR PROJECT CONTINGENCY FUNDS (ULO) FOR CITY BUILDING CODE MANDATED IMPROVEMENTS AT 1501 HOWARD STREET Sally Lufkin discussed the request from Toddler Tcmm Day Care for additional funds to pay for City inspector mandated improvements to the day care center's building at 1501 Howard Strea She said that during the construction process, Toddler Town was requested by City inspectors to do additional work to bring the building into building and fire safety code compliance. Ms. Lu`l:in noted that the Committee had awarded Toddler Town Day Care S34,000 in 2000/i01 CDBG funds, which Toddler Torn used, cssentiath., for the basic conversion of the second floor open deck into office meeting space. Angelo Nickov, director of Toddler Town Day Carr, borrowed S20,000 to do the finishing work on the addition and purchase furnishings. As the firs: safety and building code issues did not arise urn construction had begun on the project, Mr. Nikolov said that those costs were unanticipated and he did not have funds on hand to pay for the required improvements. Therefore. Mr. Nikolov requested the Committee consider allocating an additional S4.960 to Toddler Town Day Care. Ms. Lufkin said that there is S5,429 in the Project Contingency (ULO) fund. She added that site was not aware of any other possible construction cost ovcnu is in the remaining months of the 2000/01 program year and that the Committee could fund Mr. Nikolov's entire request for an additional $4.960, if it chose. x Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —August 17, 2000 Page 2 It u2s pointed out that the day care center ►tour: not be in compliance with City of EA2nmm codes until all the code and fine safety issues were corrected and the day care tester's abslity to operate could be in jeopardy ursid all the %iolatioas were corrected. Ald. Drummer added than it tim Ilic Committee's interest to provide the nec==ry support to Toddler Town so that it eouffd continue providing quality day cur for Evanston rcadcnts. Judith Treadway made a motion to approNr Toddler Town's request for S4,960 in Project Contingency (ULO) funds to correct the code and fire safety %iolations at 1501, Honard Ste wt. The motion was seconded by AU Rainey. Motiou csrried, 54. IV. VIDEO TAPING OF CREDIT COUNSELING/PREDATORY LENDING DISCLISSION BY EVANSTON COWNIUNITY MEDIA CENTER (ECMC) Ald. Drummer lad a Committee discussion on credit counseling and predatory lending widh Patricia %lance, Executive Director of CEDA/Neizbbors at Work, Viru JosK Assistant Directcax. CEDA/1,1 ighbors at Work, and Mary Pat Kerrigam retired loan counselor with Bank One. ' W discussion was taped by the Evnston Community Media Center (ECMC) for future broadcast cm t_`it E:urstoa amble access channel. (Copies of saws articles regarding credit counseling and I+.-u drto,i lending %%ere included in Committee packets.) V. COMMUNICATIONS A. Evarsion Housing Commission Minutes — July 20, 2000 B. Over the Rainbow Association Summer 20W Newsletter C. Evanston United Way 1999/2000 AmtuaI Report 7. Ch;cago Tribune Articles: :'Still more heat may be focused on `predators'" Glenview puts a moratorium on teardoaas" E. Lerner News -Star Article:, `Federal officials open door to home o%mcrsWp for new buyers" F. June 2000 monthly reports from Public Sa%ices agencies G. Proposed Amendments to Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance The communications were accepted into the record by Ald. Drummer. VI. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT ,ally Lufkin imitcd the Committee to a meeting Ribs HUD's community building, Kra Brvcks -and othet gT_TD staff on either September 13 or 14" at 10:00 am. in the Evanston Chic Cenorr. She said that in addition to hearing from HUD, it would give the Committee an opportunity to male; di=c!IV with the HUD staff who work with the City of Evanston on community' development issues. VM. ADJOURNMENT 'rhere bane no further ness before the Comtmiaee, the meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Staff; Date:_ __ Sepl n-ibcr 18. 2000 X- a HOUSING AND COAL%IUNIITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COAINui lr z MINUTES Tuesday, July 18, 2000 7:30 P.M. — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Ald. Drummer, Ald. Bernstein, Ald. Rainey, Horace Payne, Kenneth Rodgers, Judith Treadway ' MEMBERS ABSENT: Aid. Kent STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department; Nicki Modaber, Finance Department OTHERS PRESENT: Betty Sue Ester Viru Joshi, CEDA/Neighbors at Work; Willa Robinson; Kimberly Robinson, Beverly Robinson, Alexander Brown, North Shore Senior Center, Nancy Anderson, Seniors action Service; Merlyn Graham, Marie Vesely, CPM - Connections for the Homeless; Delores A. Holmes, Family Focus, Jenny Saranow, Evanston Review; Kim S. Williams, Girl Scouts/Illinois Crossroads Council; PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Ald. Drummer, Chair I. CALL TO ORDERIDECLARATION OF QUORUM Ald. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m., a quorum being present. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 20, 2000 MEETING The minutes were not ready and will be submitted for approval at the Committee's next meeting- W. PUBLIC HEARING ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FOR 2001/02 CDBG PROGRAM A. Copy of Notice of Public Hearing B. Letter from Youth Job Center of Evanston C. Letter from Evanston Community Defender's Office D. Needs Hearing — Public Comment Ald. Drummer welcomed everyone to the meeting. He said that there would be two public hearings at this meeting, starting with the annual Needs Hearing for the 2001/02 CDBG program. He said that the Committee was looking for information from the community in the areas of affordable housing, job creation Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — July, 18, 2000 Page 2 and retention, public improvements and public sen ices. He added that the Committee is putting a lot of emphasis on housing and looking for cr .%d%-e approaches to affordable housing. He said that the most significant barrier to affordable housing is qualified applicants and that the Committee is looking far proposals to help people become qualified for home ownership. Ald. Drummer said that he thought there were already some agencies in Evanston who provided housing counseling assistance. Ald. Drummer opened the Needs Hearing at 7:45 p.m. and invited public comment. Viru Joshi. CEDA/Neiehbors at Work — Mr. Joshi said that CEDA/Neighbors at Work believes that strategies for improving housing opportunities for homeowners and tenants should be high in the City's priorities. The Evanston community continues to have issues with affordable housing with the increased number of condominium conversions with the result that the Evanston community will soon have very little rental housing and affordable housing (for home ownership. Mr. Joshi said that the condominium conversions also affect the use of housing choice vouchers (formerly Section 8 vouchers), which limits lower income persons to certain areas of the community. One of the points of pride in Evanston is its diversity and because lower income people have to locate in certain areas of the city, the economic diversity of the City of Evanston is threatened. Persons with Section 8 housing choice vouchers also continue to have limited choices because landlords refuse to accept the vouchers. Further, the housing choice vouchers are not keeping up with housing market costs in Evanston. Therefore, families are being displaced from Evanston because of the inability to find affordable housing. Mr. Joshi said that home ownership is not a reality for everyone in Evanston. Efforts must be made to work with potential first time homebuyers to educate them and prepare them for home ownership. An investment into home ownership and debt management education must be made. He suggested that the Committee consider sponsoring a program where individual development accounts for low/moderate income persons can be undertaken. A set timeframe would be established for low/moderate income persons to work toward the goal of home ownership. For those low/moderate income persons unable to maintain property due to lower incomes, efforts to provide support through programs such as the minor repairs/painting assistance program and the City's housing rehab program must be continued. Mr. Joshi concluded his remarks stating that CEDA/Neighbors at Work is willing to help maintain the housing stock in Evanston so that there will continue to be a diversity of housing choice. x Housing & Community Developntent Act Committee Minutes — July 18,2000 Page 3 Alexander Brown E%anslon/Skokie Valley mic t'North,51 r Senior Cc -r� Mr. Brown said that last year E%mnston/Skokie Valley Services provided hor based services to 1,800 senior adults; 80% of those persons were low income:, attempting to get by on minimal income. He said that housing costs continue tz be a major problem for many clients. There are many quasi led clients who are im need of subsidized housing; however, the availability of subsidized housing is very limited and waiting Iists are long. Mr. Brown said that Evanston/Skokie Valley Services works with seniors very intensively to find other ways to subsidize them, since it is difficult to find housing subsidies. Other programs are examined to see if they can provide (financial) assistance to seniors (i.e., public aid, home delivered meals), thereby freeing up money for housing costs. Clients sometimes have to sometimes take more expensive medications last because they cannot afford them. Mr. Brown said that last year the agency had to rely on churches, synagogues and community organizations for on -going financial support for seniors to prevent them from having to leave Evanston. Many seniors end up moving to Rogers Park where more affordable housing choices are available. Mr. Brown added that many seniors end up moving to nursing homes more quickly than they need to. The approach of Evanston/Skokie Valley Services is to find any avenue to bring funds or services into the home in order to free up money for housing costs. Mr. Brown said that his agency has a need for more case managers, as more time and intensive case management services are required. Currently, case managers have an average case loan of 100 — 150 clients, which results in the case managers have to "triage" their services. Nancv Anderson_ Senior Action Services Ms. Anderson spoke about employment retention. She said that Senior Action Services (SAS) has provided home case in Evanston for over sixteen years. Currently, SAS is serving 100 families per year and approximately 50 of the care givers are Evanston residents. Whether in their own homes or in retirement facilities, SAS works to ensure that high quality services are provided, which will result in a high level of independence and provide care givers stability (turn over is often 50% per year). After senior become increasingly frail they need adequate skilled care and there are too few persons in the work force able to accept increased responsibility. Ms. Anderson said that following a two year welfare to work program in 1997-99. SAS undertook a nine month review of training for care givers for the elderly. Housing & Community Development Act Committct Minutes — July 18, 2000 Page 4 There is a critical need for qualified care givers, made even more urgent by the rapid turn over in this profession and a need to find solutions to the turnover ratio. Persons in this profession are Iooking for respect, adequate compensation, durability, recognition for their accomplishments, reasonable wages and room for growth. Alder care works truIy want to do a good job and look for opportunities to increase their skills. SAS regularly receives calls from residents looking for employment or training in the care giving field. Too often there is lack of adequate training. There is a demonstrated need for trained care givers and with adequate training, skilled care givers can be developed. The field of trained care giving is one that can lead to stable employment for young and middle aged adults. Merlvn Graham Ms. Graham discussed a proposal to create a day care center, which would provide jobs as well as a safe place for working parents to leave their children. She said that there is a growing number of parents who work two jobs or work and attend evening classes, who need child care services. Ms. Graham said that many people have approached her regarding the start up of a child care center She read a written mission statement for the Comfort and Joy Day Care Center. Ms. Graham said that a building at 1123 Howard Street is for sale, which she would like to purchase and renovate for a day care center. The proposed hours of services are Monday — Friday, 7-00 a.m, to 1 I :43 p.m. Marie Vesely. CPM — Connections for the Homeless Mr. Vesely said that she is the coordinator of the Family Housing program, which serves low income families who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Ms. Vesely reiterated the great need, expressed by previous speakers, for affordable housing. She said that Reba Place is a good resource for affordable housing and offers housing, which is well maintained. Another problem clients have is being able to have sufficient funds to put down a security deposit on an apartment Ms. Vesely said that a large number of Section 8 vouchers were made available last year, but rents in Evanston are at the fair market rate rather than at the Section 8 level. For many families with low incomes it is very difficult to come up with 1 — 1-1/2 months' security deposit. This would be almost impossible for someone earning S13,000 — S14,000 a year. Ms. Vesely also noted that some landlords raise rents above Section 8 levels and want tenants to pay the difference. There is also a need for agencies who which to serve low/moderate income persons to acquire rental buildings and keep the apartments affordable. X Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — July 18, 2000 Page 5 Ms. Vesely added that job training for jobs which -will pray a lining «vage is needed. She said that a minimum wage job will not provide sufficient income for a family to pay rent and provide other necessities. She said that she has dtf cuhy placing clients in jobs where a living wage can be earned_ Child care is needed by low income families and it too needs to be affordable for these families. Thee 'Is a need for child care services outside the standard 9 — 5 work day, as many workers are on shifts and may be working afternoons and evenings. Ms. Vesely noted that clients in the "middle" income level (i.e., $20,000 +) have no subsidies available to them and they have to pay full fees, which can be from $120 — 140 per week. Aid. Bernstein and Aid. Rainey commented on landlords who charge Section 8 tenants additional rent for their apartments. They said that the practice is Blegal and landlords should be reported to the City's Human Relations Commission. Aid. Bernstein said that landlords are allowed to raise rents by a certain percentage each year and not above the established ceiling. Aid. Rainey added that the City is adding prosecution of landlord/tenant cases to the administrative adjudication process, which will give the City an opportunity to pursue problem landlords more closely than it had been able under the Circuit Court system. Delores Holmes. Familv Focus Ms. Holmes said that she was adding a voice for Family Focus on the need for affordable housing. While housing is not the focus of her agency, Mr. Holmes said that every week she receives requests for assistance in finding affordable housing. She noted that the need seems to increase around the issue of Section 8, which is resulting in more families becoming homeless. She said that these families are never talked about because they live with other family members and friends. There is a need to work with landlords to make them realize that a Section 8 family will be a problem. In addition, there is a need to educate families on how to take care of property so that they can continue to live in affordable housing. Bettv Sue Ester Ms. Ester spoke about the need to assist people with establishing and maintaining good credit history. She spoke about the need to educate people while they are still in school and teach them the importance of having good credit and how to obtain it. Ms. Ester also suggested that the Committee consider starting a community credit union where low income persons can made deposits in smaller amounts than banks would accept into savings accounts. This way savings can be accumulated as well establishing good credit history. Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —July 18, 2000 Page 6 Ms. Ester said that there is a need for training for technical jobs, She suggewcd that the City Council urge the school districts to provide technical trainike. as = all students go on to college after high school. Nis. Ester comluded her remartz by suggesting that better linkages between housing and transpKittation ser%ices, be established. She said that as companies move to the suburban areas, jobs betucae further away for Evanston residents. She said that while some companies vkzil assist employees with locating housing close to the relocated business, it shm Ad not be necessary for families to necessarily have to move to be able to contimue employment. Ms. Ester said that improved transportation linkages would enable Evanston residents to remain in Evanston and to continue employment at relocated businesses. Ald. Drummer acknowledged receipt of written statements from the Youth job Center and Evanston Community Defender. In addition, copies of the remarks from Merlyn Graham, Comfort and Joy Day Care Center, Seniors Action Services and CEDA/Neighbors at Work were received by the Committee. Sally Lufkin discussed the application schedule for agencies and how applicants can obtain application materials. She also offered to meet with individual applicants who wish assistance in preparing their applications. Ald. Drummer closed the public hearing at 8:16 p.m. IV. PUBLIC HEARING ON CONSOLIDATED PLAN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR FY 1999/2000 A. Copy of Notice of Public Hearing B. Staff Comments C. Public Hearing Ms. Lufkin discussed the Consolidated Plan Annual Performance Report (CAPER), an annual report required by HUD. The CAPER covers the City's use of three grants the City receives from HUD: CDBG, HOME Investment Partnerships and Emergency Shelter Grants. Ms. Lufkin said much of the reporting on the use of HUD funds is done on HUD's IDIS system (Integrated Disbursement Information System), The CAPER includes a summary of funding available to the City at the beginning of the program year (3/l/99), shows the amount appropriated during the year and the amount expended by the end of the program year (2/29/00). Beginning on page 3 a description of the projects and activities which took place during FY 1999/00 are listed. The listing shows bow HUD funded projects and activities addressed the City's community development priority needs, as listed in the Consolidated Plan. LA Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —July 18, 2000 Page 7 Ms. Lufkin pointed out that while not every Consolidated Plan need w-as addressed during the year, most needs were addressed by one or more proms. Ms. Lufkin said that folloAing the individual program/project description a narrative section can be found. In this section, the City is asked to comment oo specific questions from HUD on the use of CDBG, HOME and ESG funds. Two HOME reports, the Match report and Annual Performance report, and the CDBG Financial Summary follow the narrative portion of the report. Nicki Modaber discussed the CDBG Financial Summary for FY 1999/00. The Financial Summary covers expenditures of CDBG funds for the period 3/1199 -- 2/29/00: $2,876,584 was unspent at the beginning of the program year. The City received $2,363,000 in 1999/00 entitlement funds and received $196,255 in program income (payments from mostly housing rehab loans). Adding these figures together the City had S5,435,839 to spend in FY 1999100. At the egad of the program year, 2/29/00, a total of $2,685,206 was spent, leaving $2,750,633 unspent on 2/29/00. Ms. Modaber said that 99,64% of CDBG expenditures were for projects and activities which benefited primarily low and moderate income persons. In the Public Services category, where no more than 15% of the City's entitlement allocation and program income can be spent, the City spent 13.57% of its funds on Public Services programs. In the Administration category, where no more than 20% of the City's entitlement plus program income can be spent, the City spent 12.56% of its funds on Administration activities. Ms. Modaber pointed out that expenditures of funds in this category were probably affected by vacancies in the Fair Housing Educator's and Minority/Women/Evanston Business program coordinator's positions. Aid. Drummer opened the public hearing on the City's 1999/00 Consolidated Plan Annual Performance Report at 8:22 p.m. and invited citizen comment. One speaker, Betty Sue Ester, addressed the Committee. Ms. Ester said that while she thought the CAPER was thorough and well written, she said she would like to have seen written comments on the report by the City Manager, the various City boards and commissions which oversee the grant programs and Evanston agencies. Aid. Drummer responded that staff and a number of City boards are involved in the development of the City's Consolidated Plan. The public hearing closed at 8:32 p.m. F� Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — July 18, 2000 Page S Judith Treadway made a motion to recommend approval of the Consolidated Plan Annual Performance Report for FY 1999/00 to the City Council. The motion was seconded by Ald. Rainey. Motion carried, 6-0. V. REV1EW OF PROPOSED 2001/02 CDBG PROGRAM FUNDING CYCLE PROCEDURES, SCHEDULE AND PROPOSED APPLICATION MATERL4LS A. Staff Memorandum re Needs Hearing and Proposed Funding Cycle Procedures B. Staff Memorandum re Proposed Application Forms for 2001/02 Ms. Lufkin discussed the proposed schedules for the 2001/02 CDBG applica- tion/funding process. She said that while the agency application period will be from July 26 -- September 15, 2000, the City schedule will be from August 7 — September 22, 2000, For City applicants, this will more closely follow the City budgetary schedule. City applicants who are putting together administrative Budgets have said that they cannot do their CDBG applications until they determine their City budgets. his. Lufkin said that, as has been done in past years, all applications will be put in notebooks and forward to the Committee as soon as possible after they are received. Ms. Lufkin then discussed the proposed application forms and informational materials. She said that for agency applicants, four applications will be used: public ser+-ices, public facilities, housing and economic development. Ms. Lufkin said that while the format is the same in all applications, there are questions specific to each category. She pointed out that staff has incorporated into each application a listing of the community development needs taken from the City's Consolidated Plan. Applicants will be asked to indicate which Consolidated Plan objectives will be addressed by the proposed program/project and to discuss in the narrative section how the proposed program/project addresses the Consolidated Plan objectives. The Committee also reviewed its funding guidelines from the 2000/01 program year and decided to continue using the same guidelines for the 2001/02 program. Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — July 18, 2000 Page 9 VI. COWNIUNICATIONS A, Housing Options for the Mentally Ill in Evanston Sumner 2000 Newsletter B. Chicago Tribune articles: - Using public transit may help home buyers - Density bonuses draw scrutiny in btdlders' affordability battles C. Monthly Reports from Public Services Agencies — March, April and May D. Copies of the City's Consolidated Plan 2000 — 2004 (for Committee members) Ald. Drummer acknowledged receipt of the above listed communications. VU. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT Ald. Rainey announced that there would be a joint EvanstonfChicago walk on Howard Street on July 27`h at 6:00 p.m. Mayors Morton and Daley w-iIl be participating and she urged Committee members to participate in the walk. She said the walk is to be a demonstration against violence and gangs. VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Staff Date: 'b"'"-f 6 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMINUA Azz NM'UTES MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: OTHERS PRESENT: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 7:30 P.Ni — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center Ald. Drummer, Ald. Rainey, Bett} Sue Ester, Horace Payne, Kenneth Rodgers, Judith Treadway Ald. Bernstein, Ald. Kent Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department None PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Ald. Drummer, Chair - I. CALL TO ORDER/DECLARATION OF QUORU31 Ald. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m., a quorum being present. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 18, 2000 tiiEETING Ald. Rainey made a motion to approve the minutes of the Committee's April 18, 2000 meeting; motion seconded by Betty Sue Ester. Motion carried: 5-0 (1 member out of room) M. EVANSTON COMMUNITY MEDIA CENTER (ECMC) TAPING OF CREDIT COUNSELING DIALOG The taping was postponed to a later date (to be deterrtiined) due to unavailability of a camera operator from ECMC. IV. REQUEST TO EXPAND THE TARGET ARE OF THE SOUTHEAST EVANSTON NEIGHBORHOOD SECURITY PROGRAM Sally Lufkin said that the request to expand the area for the Southeast Evanston Neighborhood Security program was raised by Neighborhood Planner, Susan Guderley. Ms. Lufkin said that the program started two/three years ago as a pilot program in a small targeted area in southeast Evanston. The picot area covered Clyde, Callan, and Custer between Howard and Brummel Street, Elmwood Street between Howard and Dobson and Dobson between Elmwood and Custer. The beat officer in southeast Evanston, Officer Mayer, has been talking to residents in the area and suggesting ways to make their properties more .X 41 Housing & Community' Development Act Committee ;r r Minutes — June 20, 2000 Page 2 secure, one of which is to apply for finding in the Neighborhood Security program. An owner of a condominium in the 700 block of Dobson was referred to Ms. Guderiey for information on the program. Strictly speaking, the 700 block of Dobson is not in the pilot area. Ms. Lufkin suggested that the Committer might want to consider expanding the area by four blocks to add the blocks of Dobson and Brummel between Custer and Ridge_ She said that two mailings to residents in the pilot area had resulted in six to eight inquiries and five property owners actually going thrown with security improvements to their property and one project currently underway. Ms. Lufkn said that the property owners in the pilot area who wanted to take advantage of the prog= have probably already done so and that it would be possible to expand the targeted area, She said that a mailing would be done to all the property owners in the expanded arm if approved, as well as to the property owners in the original pilot area. Ms. Lufkin said th4 there is approximately $12,000 left in the program (from the original funding of $14,500). Rebates have a ceiling on them of 500/a of costs of purchase and installation of materials up to a maximum of$1,500 per property. The Committee discussed the advantages of the neighborhood security program and the benefit to property owners. It was noted that the neighborhood security program was part of a comprehensive approach to impro%ing the southeast Evanston neighborhoods. Aid. Rainey made a motion to approve the request to expand the targeted are for the Neighborhood Security program. The motion was seconded by Betty Sue Ester. Motion carried, 6-0. V. REQUEST TO USE NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF BANNERS FOR HOWARD STREET Ms. Lufkin said that Dev Corp, a neighborhood development organization for Rogers Park, has requested that the City of Evanston participate in the purchase of new banners for the Howard Street business district. She described some of the projects and activities which have been jointly undertaken by Evanston and Dev Corp, one of which is to attempt to bring a unified appearance to the business district with banners. Previous banner projects have been very successful in this regard. Ms. Lufkin said that Dev Corp is requesting that the City of Evanston fund 20 banners for a total of 52,200. They will have a summer theme. Ms. Lufkin suggested that the Committee consider using funds from the Neighborhood Public Improvement fund for this purpose_ She said that the neighborhood public improvement fund was established primarily for small neighborhood improvement projects in southeast Evanston. She discussed some of the previous projects which had been completed utilizing neighborhood public improvement Housing & Community Development act Committee, Minutes - June 20, 2000 Page 3 funds. There is currently approxin=ely $37,000 in the Neighborhood Public lmproxwa ent Fund. Judith Treadway made a motion to approve the expenditure of V,200 in Neighborhood Public Improvement funds to purchase 20 banners for the Howard Street business district. Ald. Rainey seconded the motion. Motion carried, 6-0. V1. COMMUNICATIONS A. Updated Committee Membership Roster B. Evanston/ti'orthshore YWCA Annual Report C. Letter from Rachel Heuman, former coordinator of the (National -Louis) Family Outreach Program D. News Articles: Surge puts payday loans under scrutiny Analysis of subprime lending in New York - HUD Press Release High -interest loan firms put on notice The elusive, color-blind mortgage - Hold fast - for many seniors, aging means staying put after 50, study finds - Law abiding - 1977 act has boosted mortgage loans for low and moderate buyers Contract law - Schaumburg lease clauses target crime in apartment complexes Unified approach - Lake County asks task force to address affordable housing Ald. Drummer acknowledged receipt of the above communications. 'III. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT Sally Lufkin discussed upcoming changes in HUD's lead based paint regulations and potential impact on housing assistance programs. The new regulations become effective September 15, 2000. She said that she would provide more information to the Committee as soon as staff had evaluated the impact the lead based paint regulations will have on the City's housing programs. Ms. Lufkin said that HUD's Chicago office has accepted the City's revised Consolidated Plan and has recommended approval of the plan to Washington. Housing & Community Development Xa'Coinmittec';-'":.�..�. Minutes — June 20, 2000 Page 4 ' {; `ADJUURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. �'.rf ljoV Staff; 4L, r ;;,, /()IfI"-A , 3iAl Date: Atiaust 17.2000 x HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE , MINUTES Tuesday, April 18, 2000 7:30 P.M. — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Ald. Drummer, Ald. Bernstein, Ald. Kent, Aid. Rainey, Betty Sue Ester, Horace Payne, Judith Treadway - MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, James Wolinski, Community Development Department OTHERS PRESENT: Rose Navarro, Metropolitan Family Services; Mary Pat Kerrigan; Rabin S. Taylor, Interfaith Housing Development Corporation; Sherrill Frost -Brown, Interfaith Housing Center, Patricia A. Vance, Viru Joshi, CEDA/Neighbors at Work; Delores A_ Holmes, Family Focus PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Aid. Drummer, Chair L .. CALL TO ORDER/DECLARATION OF QUORUM Ald. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m., a quorum being present. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 21, 2000 MEETING Betty Sue Ester made a motion to approve the minutes of the Committee's March 21, 2000 meeting; motion seconded by Judith Treadway. Motion died: 4-0 (3 members out of room). III. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ON HOUSING ISSUES A. Communications (I) Recent articles from Evanston Review on predatory lending practices (2) Information from Interfaith Housing Center on predatory lending B. Presentations (1) Credit Counseling - Robin Taylor, Interfaith Housing Development Corporation - Mary Pat Kerrigan - Patricia Vance/Viru Jashi, CEDA/Neighbors at Work X Housing & Community Development Art Committee Minutes —April 18, 2000 Page 2 - Rose Na»rro, I'sietopolitan Family `cx%im (2) Predatory Lending — Sherrill Frost Bro%Nm, Interfaith HousinS Center Sally Lufkin introduced the guest speakers to the Committee. Ald. Drummer welcomed the guests and noted that the Committee was very interested in discussing; further the issue of credit counseling along with predatory lending practices. Referring to the March 21, 2000 minutes, Aid. Drummer said that the Committee had discussed credit counseling at length at its last meeting and it was looking forward to additional discussion and learning more about how the Committee can be creative in finding rays to assist persons with correct poor credit histories. Robin Tavlor. Interfaith Housina Develooment Corrmoration Ms. Taylor provided an overview of how IHDC works with clients in the area of credit counseling. She said that MC discusses with each client their credit report. EHDC will work with the client to correct mistakes on the credit report, but it cannot delete derogatory information on the report if it is true. UMC will work with clients to create a plan for creating good credit in the future. She said that clients often do not realize that this can take a substantial on their part, from six to twelve months to create a positive credit history. Each client's individual credit status is assessed. IHDC will review a client's monthly income and monthly debts and expenses and help the client create a budget_ A daily expense sheet is also created so that the client can track daily expenditures. Ms. Taylor pointed out that often clients do not realize the savings which can be achieved by monitoring daily expenditures and noting spending patterns. The client's credit report is reviewed to make sure that the client understands how to read and understand the report and how to check for mistakes. If there are no corrections to be made to the report, the circumstances for late payment are examined and a long range plan to improve the client's credit is worked out. If there are derogatory statements on the credit report, the circumstances for how those payments were late. If the client is simply making late payments, the importance of paying debt on time is discussed. It is also necessary to identify derogatory remarks regarding outstanding balances on accounts and determine whether it is within their budget to create a plan for paying off debts. If it is not possible to pay off the client's debts within their budget, then look at debt consolidation. IHDC does not do debt consolidation and refers clients to Metropolitan Family Services for assistance. In response to a question from Aid. Rainey, Ms Taylor said that most of their clients are interested in purchasing a home and need to maintain good credit. She added that minimum level of income is usually not an issue with their clients. Clients who are seeking assistance from IHDC have already tried to purchase a home elsewhere. x Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —April 18, 2000 Page 3 Betty Sue Ester asked if IHDC works with to help people straighten out their credit. Ms. Taylor responded that EFIDC works with everyone carolled in their programs, owners and tenants. She said that MC does not necessarily turn people away as tenants because of bad credit history, but looks at other issues which may have affected late payments, etc. Patricia Vance/Viru Jo.5hi. CEDA/Neighbors at Work Ms. Vance said that CEDA does not do just credit counseling, but instead does housing counseling -- both pre -rental and pre -purchase. Staff works with clients to help them understand what is involved in renting an apartment. A rMiew of the client's credit report will be done and budgeting is discussed. Sometimes people are over optimistic about what they can afford in rent and CEDA works with them to prepare a realistic budget. CEDA has a very detailed book it reviews with each client. If there are credit problems, the reasons for those problems are discussed and its is determined whether they can be resolved. Ms. Vance said that many times low/moderate income people do not realize what programs are available to them. Section 8 clients do not necessarily know about the Family Self-sufficiency Program. In this program, each time Section 8 income limits are increased, the rents also go up. The Section 8 program provides a grant for the amount of the rent increase, which is placed in a escrow account for the client. The escrow account can be maintained for up to five years. The aim of the program is to get people out of the Section 8 program and into home ownership. A pilot program for low income people undertaken by CEDA within the past year was also discussed by Ms. Vance. Eligible participants can save for either college education costs, to start up a business or for home ownership. The program matches the client's savings at the rate of S3 for each SI saved by the client. At the same time that the client starts to save toward home ownership, CEDA works with the client to make certain that helshe understands his/her credit report and can clean up any problems on it. She said that people do not always understand that derogatory remarks stay on a credit report for a long time. CEDA also works with the client to establish a budget and clients are required to attend a financial management workshop each month they are in the program. Ms. Vance said that it is also possible, in some instances, to pool income from other family members for home purchase and there are other programs in which an applicant for home ownership can receive part of the down payment as a gift. Mr. Joshi added the pre -purchase counseling is a detailed discussion of home purchase procedures and takes from 2 —1/2 to 3 hours. He said that one of the most important things is that one has to establish a habit of saving. A lot people who come to CEDA for counseling have never had a savings account. x Housing & Community Development Act Committet Minutes —April 18, 2000 Page 4 Another source of pre -purchase counseling is through Fannie Mae. Upon comp'Eetion of the course, a homebuyer can take the certificate to a realtar. Other sources of funding include Neamiah loans, which can help with down payment. In Chicago IHDA (Illinois Housing Development Authority) has a target area on the north side whem first time homebuyers can get 6% interest fixed rate for a 30 year loan. For 6 1fz°io, the ipplicant can obtain S 1,000 toward closing costs. The main factor in most of these prugra= is that applicants should have stable income. Mr. Joshi concluded his remarks by adding that two years after a bankruptcy has been discharged, if the person keeps up with his financial obligations, it can be possible to purchase a home. The important think is to obtain pre -purchase approval before looking for a home so that the purchaser will know what he/she can afford. Ms. Vance pointed out that a condominium is considered a "home" and first-time homebuyers should certainly consider the purchase of a condominium when deciding on a first-time home purchase. Many times a condominium unit makes good sense for a starter home. Rose Navarro. Metropolitan Familv Services Ms. Navarro said that MFS offers credit counseling. She has found that when it comes to the American dream of owning a home, there are no boundaries in inconume When meeting with a client, MFS staff goes through the procedures for reviewing a client's credit history, budget and spending patterns. Some clients have on -going debt, some have debt they have neglected, and some clients have judgments against them — all looks bad on a credit report. MFS can usually advise and monitor two-thirds of the clients it sees. One-third need help with consolidation. MFS doe not take over debt and pay it in full and then allows clients to pay MFS. Instead, MFS helps the client look at his/her income and spending plan and helps them set up a budget that will help them pay oft` the debt. About one-half of the clients seen by MFS already own homes and are struggling to keep from falling behind and having those homes go into foreclosure. NIFS's other clients are renters; almost all of whom want to own a home. MFS helps those clients prepare a realistic spending plan, including ways to pay off debt and save for the future. The main objective of a budget is to develop a saving pattern among clients. Ms. Navarro said that one of the ways MFS can help clients is it can make payment arrangements with creditors and negotiate lo%Nw credit card interest rates. Some clients pay extremely high interest rates: 21 %, 23% or 28.991/o. Because creditors ask for small monthly payments, it is impossible to pay off large interest debts. After bankruptcy, people are charged exorbitant loan rates, sometimes 48 — 64% for car loans. One of unique aspects of the services NIFS offers, is that it helps clients structure a debt manage- x Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —April 18, 2000 Page 5 ment program. No other agency in this area offers this program. MFS is the agency which started this program fifteen years ago. Working with families and creditors, WS can get creditors to reduce interest rates because the agency is involved in the payment plan. Creditors have a national policy where interest rates can be reduced if the client is following a payment plan. Interest rates remain at a lower rate as long as the client is following the plan. Reduced interest rate plans reduce the amount of time it will take for a client to pay creditors, usually 34 years. At the same time the client is learning the habit of budgeting and saving. Ms. Navarro said that some clients come to riIFS just to have the agency look at the credit report and help them make improvements to it. There is no magic formula for cleaning up a report; just have to determine the reasons for any derogatory comments and if there are errors the client will have to write letters to the creditor asking for correction. In conclusion, Ms. Navarro said that MFS does not do pre -purchase counseling, but refers those clients to CEDAINeighbors at Work She said MFS is working with a few clients who fall into the predatory lending category and is working with them to try to avoid bankruptcy. They come to \IFS because they really want to pay off the debt. Mary Pat Kerrigan Ms. Kerrigan said that the time to start education about the importance of a good credit record is while students are still in high school. She related a story about college students who are able to obtain credit cards with $5,000 credit limits and then use those cards for frivolous expenditures, such as ordering pizza. Students needs to be told these things need to be done to maintain a favorable credit record. Ms. Kerrigan discussed her experiences with the purchasers of the Clyde Condominiums as a member of the loan committee for the Evanston Housing Coalition. She said that each purchaser received 5 to 7 hours of counseling over a three week period. Discussions were held about the concept of home ownership. Each paragraph of the mortgage document was reviewed so that the purchasers understood what was meant and so that they could understand what were their rights and responsibilities. Ms. Kerrigan said that the Fannie Mae booklet used by CEDA/Neighbors at Work and others was a very good booklet; it talks about all aspects of home ownership. Aid. Kent asked whether there were places for single mothers with two or more children to go for home loans. He said that it appeared to him that there was nowhere for them to turn to make the bridge from being renters to home owners. Ms. Kerrigan said that three or four of the purchasers of Clyde Condominiums were single mothers with children. She added that it is important for people to seek pre -purchase counseling a year before they are ready to purchase a home so that there is sufficient time for improving credit Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —April 18, 2000 Page 6 records, if necessary. Jim Wolinski discussed a recent seminar he attended at which issues such as the definition of families, fair housing, zoning ordinances and over occupancy w-m—, discussed in relation to how a community wants to be Evanston's zoning ordir=ce restricts occupancy by no more than three unrelated individuals. He said that is = attempt to make housing affordable, two families may want to purchase a home that they otherwise could not afford alone. He also discussed the changing definition of "family'. He thought that Evanston's definition of housing could be challenged in the future, whicb might not be a bad idea and might promote more housing choices among Evanston's existing housing stock. Sherrill Frost -Brown. Interfaith Housine Center Ms. Frost -Brown referred to the news articles which had been included in the Committee's packet. She spoke about the practices of predatory lenders, who are lenders from the sub -prime market which target vulnerable people, i.e., elderly, women handicapped individuals. The targeted population are people who have lived in their homes for some time and have built up equity in their homes. These people also ha, �e some credit issues, which the predatory Ienders notice through reviewing credit reports,. The issue with predatory lending is that legal means are being used to take advantage of the more vulnerable population. Ms. Frost -Brown explained how predatory lending works: banks make loans available to people who have "A" class credit. There are some people who may have some flaws in their credit. A second group of lenders come along who make legal loans to people with blemishes on their credit report. This group includes lenders who charge exorbitant fees for their services, and use "bait and switch" techniques. She discussed the practices of these lenders where they contact people and offer to refinance their mortgage, include credit card bills and may offer home improvement loans. The lender tells property owner that the only thing he/she will have to pay is for is the credit report; everything else will be refinanced in the 15-30 year fixed rate loan. At closing time of the refinanced loan, the 30 year fixed rate loan is changed to a 5 yea: fixed rate loan with a balloon. The interest rate may be higher because of some credi! issues, such as loan to debt ratio and the lender says he has to charge a little more because of this fact. The lender offers to refinance the loan in six months at the rate originally promised. Ms. Frost -Brown said that the problem is that the lender charges more for an appraisal, forgets to tell that each time the loan is refinanced, it will cost an additioma9 $4,000 -- 8,000 up front. If all unsecured debt is made a part of the loan, then there is the possibility of losing one's home if the owner cannot pay. These are things which people need to know and it is important to educate people about refinancing mortgages. Unlesx there is some evidence of fraud on the lender's part, it is very difficult to help people who it Housing & Community Development Act Committer Minutes —April 18, 2000 Page 7 find themselves in trouble on a refinanced loan. Ms. Frost -Brown discussed a couple of predatory lending cases in which Interfaith was attempting to provide assistance. MS. Frost -Brown said that it will take legislative measures to help to protect people from predatory lenders. Until that time, the best weapon against these lenders is education.. She said that Inferfaith Housing Corporation is working to get some legislation passed that will limit the amounts of interest on a second loan_ There is also legislation needed to keep lenders from repeatedly coming back to the same persons for refinancing loans. Interfaith is also attempting to get some legislative caps on second loan rates. Discussion included the suggestion of a one -stop shopping mall where people could shop for credit needs and the difficulty of locating several agencies in one location. Ald. Kent suggested that flyers be circulated in the immediate area where predatory lending is taking place. He added that he thought it would be a good idea of tape the discussion of tonight's meeting and show it on the Evanston television channel as a means to educate Evanston residents about credit counseling and the practice of predatory lending. Aid. Drummer thought that for the City to make an impact on housing, it should put together and informational brochure discussing good credit and what to do to improve one's credit record; and the steps to go through and agencies which provide home purchase counseling. Ald. Kent added that distributing brochures through churches as a good way to get information to residents. Jim Wolinski discussed the issue of trust in government in the area of finances and people's reluctance to get a Ioan from the City because they think the City will go after their housing if there is a problem. Aid. Drummer thanked the speakers for discussing these important issues with the Committee. He suggested that everyone try to get together to do a taping for the Evanston television channel. After that a summary of the discussion could be put together into a brochure. IV. COMMUNICATIONS A. Staff memorandum re Evanston's Consolidated Plan Sally Lufkin discussed HUD's disapproval of the City's Consolidated Plan for 2000 — 2004 and staff efforts to revise the Plan since receipt of the letter. She asked that the Committee hold a special meeting on May 2, 2000 to consider the proposed revisions. B. Information from PEER Services' Dimensions Program C. Girl Scouts/Illinois Crossroads Council's March 2000 Newsletter D. Evanston/Northshore YWCA Summer 2000 Newsletter Housing & Community DevelopminitAct �Committee" Minutes —April 18, 2000 - Page 8 E. Newspaper Articles: Slim Sample — Elgin mayor says survey response will spur.housing Crackdown - Study finds pharmacies' stocks tow in minority neighborhoods - SI million grant will help aid homeless - Working poor hit hardest in housing crisis, HUD says - Rogers Park weighs the ups and downs of downzoning - Some find teen work ethic is, duh, low or sorely Iacking - Housing jobs gaps is growing study says Aid. Drummer acknowledged receipt of the above listed communications. V. STAFF/CITIZEN CONIMENT There was no additional staff/citizen comment. VI ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at ;9:35 p.m Staff U J Date: `�*� t 9 Z 00 X HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MINUTES ; Tuesday, March 21, 2000 7:30 P.M. — Room 2404 Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Ald. Drummer, Ald. Kern, Aid. Rainey, Betty Sue Ester, Horace Pa3me, Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: Ald. Bernstein STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department OTHERS PRESENT: Southeast Evanston Citizens Planning Committee: Anna Boekstegen, Cheryl Bridgman -Moloney, Albert H. Bowen, Sherrill Frost Brown, Carmen Frost, Ferdinand Frost PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Ald. Drummer, Chair I. CALL TO ORDERIDECLARATION OF QUORUM Ald. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m., a quorum being present. Ald. Drummer officially welcomed new citizen member, Horace Payne, to the Committee, noting that Mr. Payne is replacing Michael DeVaul, who moved to North Carolina. Ald. Drummer also pointed out that Dr. Alvin Keith had submitted his resignation from the Commnirtee in February, due to his retirement and plans to spend part of the year living in Nevada, Ald. Drummer asked that the Plan Commission try to appointment a new liaison member by May. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 24, 2000 MEETING Ald. Rainey made a motion to approve the minutes of the Committee's February 24, 2000 meeting; motion seconded by Ald. Kent. Motion carried: 5-0 (1 member out of room) III. COMMUNICATIONS A. CDBG Program Contract/Subcontract Activity for the period October 1, 1998 — September 30, 1999 B. Information from Evanston/Skokie Valley Services on upcoming events C. CDBG 25`h anniversary notes from Michael DeVaul and Janet Agnoletti (former coordinator) D. News Articles: Housing & Community Development Act Committee ,Minutes — March 21, 2000 Page 2 1. Breaking with the Past (Chicago Tnbune) 2. Lucky Day? DuPage to use lottery Yn award rent subsidies (Chicago Tribune) 3. Zero sum game — In Schmrmbury the property tax rule for the village har fulled to materialize (Chicago Tribune) 4. Fighting foreclosure — City offers hope for victims of subprime lending (Chicago Tribune) 5. When Uncle Same knocks, let the census -taker in (Chicago Tribune) 6. Wage gap -- Hot employment areas lack affordable rentals, study finds (Chicago Tribune) 7. Need for low-cost housing groins (Chicago Tribune) S. Constntclion slows in nearly built -out Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg (Chicago Tribune) 9. For some, Silicom Iralley high-tech boom means no place to rest (Chicago Tribune) Ald. Drummer acknowledged receipt of the above communications. IV. REQUEST FROM SOUTHEAST EVANSTON CITIZENS PLANNING COMhu i i zz TO USE NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT FUNDS Anna Boekstegen, chair of the (Southeast Evanston) Community Garden Club introduced members of the Citizens Planning Committee present: Carmen Frost, Ferdinand Frost, Cheryl Bridgman - Moloney, Albert H. Bowen, Sherrill Frost BroQwn. Ms. Boekstegen discussed the CPC's very successful beautification project in the summef,1999, u-hich provided over 40 planters and plants along the parkways of Custer Avenue between Oalzon and Howard Streets. She said that 46 neighbors accepted and maintained the planters throughout the summer. Ms. Boekstegen said that the project engendered a feeling of community spirit and pride. The neighbors are interested in continuing the beautification project this upcoming summer with some funding support from the CDBG Neighborhood Public Improvements funds. Many property owners stored the planters in their buildings over the winter. A letter was sent to property owners throughout the southeast Evanston community soliciting commitment to maintain the plants for another season and more importantly seeking donatio,^.s to be used toward purchasing new plants. It is estimated that it will cost approximately $25.00 to replant each planter, or approximately $1,000 to replant all 40 planters. To date the neighbors have contributed $425.00. A solicitation letter has also been sent to the President of the Evanston Garden Council; the Council has not yet responded. Ms. Boekstegen said that the Garden Club would like to request up to S600.00 from the Neighborhood Public Improvements Fund to be used to supplement the donations of the residents, so that all 40 planters can be replanted. x Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes — March 21, 2000 Page 3 Ald. Rainey made a motion to approve funding far the neighborhood planting project, as requested'_ The motion was seconded by Judith Treadway. Ald. Rainey said that the City would make up the difference between donations and the cost of the plants, no matter %,.fiat the amount_ She commended the CPC on conducting its own fundraising campaign for the project prior to coming to the City to request funding. Ald. Drummer added that he was very proud of the many undertakings by the Southeast Evanston Citizens Planning Committee over the past several years. He said that he had been very impressed with the group and the work it has done in the southeast Evanston neighborhoods. He noted that not many community groups have had the "staying" ponver that the Southeast Evanston Citizens Plan Committee has had and he was most pleased with their diligence in addressing community issues and carrying out projects, such as the beautification project, in an effort to improve the community. Motion carried, 6-0. V. COMMITTEE AGENDA SETTING FOR THE CONUNG MONTHS Ald. Drummer invited Committee discussion and suggestions for things that the Committee can study and discuss in depth over the next few months. He noted that the Committee still needs to address Betty Sue Ester's question on the monthly/quarterly reports submitted by City departments and agencies. Ms. Ester discussed a recent HUD -sponsored seminar she attended on developing faith -based partnerships. She said that HUD has started an office named Center for Community and Interfaith Partnerships at HUD headquarters in Washington, D.C. and its mission is to encourage churches to become involved in community development and works on ways to increase affordable housing. Ald. Kent discussed recent articles on predatory lending practices with respect to home loans. He referred to an Evanston map he received from Interfaith Housing Center on predatory loans in Evanston and suggested that copies be obtained far the other committee members. Ald. Kent also discussed the wage gap article in the Committee's packet and how condominium conversions are affecting the supply of affordable housing for low/moderate income residents in Evanston. He suggested that perhaps the City should distribute information to citizens on what steps they can take if faced with a predatory Iender. Ald. Rainey discussed the problems the owner of a building in the 8'b ward had with a predatory lender. The discussion turned to the difficulty some people have in obtaining mortgages due credit history problems. Some of the programs that the City offers were discussed: Families in Transition, housing for low income persons sponsored by Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, Reba Place Development Corporation and the Evanston Housing Coalition, the Evanston Housing Corporation's First-time Homebuyer program. k Housing & Community Development Act Committee Minutes —March 21, 2000 Page 4 Ald. Drummer requested an accurate accounting of what the City has spent on housing from all funding sources. Ald. Rainey said that one of the difficulties the City has is a low public relations image — people do not know what the City is doing in its efforts to maintain and help people oltzin housing in Evanston. The City needs to get the word out. Ald. Kent suggested that the City needs to find ways to help the very low income people in Evanston obtain housing. Ald_ Drummer said chat the City's FIT program could perhaps be enhanced and that the Committee may want to revisit for former acquisition/venture program which the Committee had sponsored a number of years ago. Ald. Rainey suggested that the Committee focus on credit issues. Ms. Ester discussed a credit counseling program in St. Louis offered by Catholic Charities, which works with people with severe credit problems and helps them to "clean up" their credit records so that they can purchase horses. Judith Treadway added that some people simply do not know how to manage their money and that money management counseling would also be a beneficial service. Ald. Rainey suggested that the Committee may want to reserve a portion of its 2001 CDBG funds to be used for a credit counseling program for Evanston residents. She suggested that the Comm rice could issue a RFP for such a program. She noted that the Committee can set the ground rules for the funding allocations it makes and she saw no reason why the Committee couldn't dictate the types of proposals it would like to receive. Aid. Drummer asked staff to invite a couple of speakers to come to the Committee's next meeting to discuss credit counseling programs. He also requested that community development staff Who work with housing issues also be invited to the meeting. VI. CDBG 25h ANNIVERSARY VIDEO The Committee viewed the video made by Evanston Community Media Center of the Committee's reception commemorating the 25`h anniversary of the CDBG program. VIL STAFFICITIZEN COMMENT There was no additional stafl?'citizen comment_ Vila. ADJOURNMENT There being no further busi before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Staff, I Date: Anril4.2000 k HOUSING AND COAMIUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COINUNI EE I%ILNUTES Thursday, February 24, 2000 6:00 P.M. -- Parasol Room Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid. Drummer, Ald. Bernstein, Ald. Rainey, Betty Sue Ester, Horace Payne, Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: Ald. Kent STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, James Wolinski, Stan Janusz, Community Development Department, Nicki Modaber, Finance Department PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Ald. Drummer, Chair The Housing and Community Development Act Committee hosted a reception at the Evanston Civic Center in celebration of the City of Evanston's 25`h anniversary as a CDBG entitlement community. Approximately 60 persons were in attendance including Mayor Morton, three former chairs of the Committee (Maxine Lange, Joan Barr and Marvin Juliar), Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, and former CDBG staff members run Clarke and Jeanne Lindwall. Former and current CDBG Vat recipients enjoyed light refreshments and a special 25 h anniversary cake prepared by Judy's Bakery, in which the CDBG 25`4 anniversary poster was replicated. The minutes of the December 14, 1999 meeting were received and approved. Communications A Letter of Resignation from Committee from Dr. Alvin Keith B. Information onFair Housing and Inclusive Communities Activities C. Interfaith Housing Center — Information on Community Organizing on Housing Issues D. NCDA Legislative Alert — President's proposed HUD budget for FY 200I E. Child Care Center of Evanston — Article: Study links adults success to quality day care for kids F. Copy of City of Evanston Single Audit Compliance Report for period ended 2/28/99 G. November and December monthly reports from agencies H. News Articles Ald. Drummer acknowledged receipt of the above communications. Housing & Coriirntinity Devdoprnint Act C6nirfiiftee' Minutes — February 24, 2000 Page 2 There being no further business before the Comrnittee, the meeting and reception adjourned at 9:30 p.m. Date: 171