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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1999�c HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday, December 14, 1999 7:30 P.M. Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT Ald. Drummer, Aid. Bernstein Ald, Rainey, Betty Sue Ester, Dr. Alvin Keith MEMBERS ABSENT: Ald. Kent, Judith Treadway STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department; OTHERS PRESENT: Ann Jennett, Youth Job Center, Angelo Ndcolov, Toddler Town Day Care Center; Rachel Heuman, National -Louis University; Delores Holmes, Diane Hibbler, Family Focus; Margaret Norton, Connections for the Homeless; William Koien, Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago PRESIDING OFFICIALS Aid. Drummer, Chair 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Aid. Drummer at 7:42 p.m., a quorum being present. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 9, 1999 MEETING Aid. Rainey made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 9, 1999 meeting; motion seconded by Ald. Bernstein. A correction was made by Betty Sue Ester to the vote at the end of the first paragraph on page 4, changing the Committee's vote from 7-0 to 6-1. The minutes were approved as corrected, 5-0. M. PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2000/01 CDBG PROGRAM BUDGET AND HUD CONSOLIDATED PLAN FOR THE PERIOD 2000 -- 2004. A. Copy of Notice of Public Hearing B. Spreadsheet reflecting Committee funding allocations made November 9, 1999 C. Public Hearing Aid. Drummer opened the Public Hearing at T45 p.m. k Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - December 14, 1999 Page Two Sally Lufkin reviewed the proposed CDBG funding recommendations for FY _ 00/0I and the proposed Consolidated Plan for the period 2000 - 2004 hts Lutkin said that the City had not yet learned from HUD what its actual entitlement amount %%ill be for FY -N)00/01. so the spreadsheet reflects the Committee's funding recommendations made at its November 9, 1999 meeting, based upon estimated FY 2000/01 funding. Ms Lufkin noted that the proposed Consolidated Plan for the period 2000 - 2004 is really a continuation of the previous five-year plan She said that entitlement communities are required by HUD to prepare a neu, Consolidated Plan every five years, therefore, a new five- year plan must be submitted for the 2000/01 program year. However, because 20DO census data will probably not be available for approximately two years after the completion of the census, most cities have had to rely upon 1990 census data, the latest available. Ms. Lufkin said that staff has updated data throughout the plan wherever possible, but that a lot of the data comes from the 1990 census. Chapters 2 and 3 have been more extensively rewritten, as they were reviewed by the City's housing planner and Health and Human Services Department stag. Ms. Lufkin said that the regulations governing the preparation of the Consolidated Plan have not changed since they were originally issued five years ago and that the three general goals of the plan have also remained the same - provide decem housing; provide a suitable living environment and expand economic opportunities. his Lufkin concluded her remarks by stating that staff will do a thorough review and analysis of 2000 census data, once it is received, and the City's Consolidated Plan will be amended or rewritten to reflect the City's goals and objectives based upon current census data Ms. Lufkin said that staff was seeking a recommendation to the City Council on both the proposed CDBG program budget for FY 2000/01 and the proposed Consolidated Plan for the period 2000 - 2004. It will be necessary to submit these two documents to the City Council for approval at its January 10, 2000 meeting in order for staff to meet HUD's deadlines for submission of FY 2000/01 documents. Aid. Drummer invited public comment on the proposed FY 2000/01 CDBG program budget and proposed Consolidated Plan for the period 2000 -2004. There were no comments provided by the people in attendance at the meeting and, as of the date of the nesting, no written comments had been received At this time, Ald Drummer invited Committee comment on the proposed CDBG program budget and proposed Consolidated Plan. There was general Committee discussion about 2000 census expectations, proposed reconfiguration of the CDBG Target Area, and how condominium conversions are affecting affordable housing in Evanston wo Housinu and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - Dcccmbcr I4, 1999 Page Three Ald Drummer asked whether HL-D had enacted any additional entitlement programs which could affect the amount of CDBG funds available to communities. Ms. Lufkin responded that she did not know of any new HUD programs, with the exception of the proposed regional connections program, which has not received funding from Congress. The program would fund programs which would address community development issues on a regional basis. She added that there had been a proposal put forth by HUD several months ago to add entitlement communities in the 30.000 to 50,000 population range, which would have added over 200 additional entitlement communities. (Currently, an entitlement community is one which has a population of at least 50,000.) This proposal was not accepted by Congress. Ms. Lufkin said that the CDBG funds allocated for Illinois are divided up among forty-one entitlement communities and counties. While the total amount of funds appropriated by Congress to the FY 2000 CDBG program has increased somewhat, it is not clear whether the increase will also mean an increase in CDBG funding for Evanston. Aid. Drummer again invited public comments on the proposed CDBG program budget and proposed Consolidated Plan. Hearing none, he closed the Public Hearing at 8: 04 p.m. Dr. Keith made a motion to approve the proposed CDBG program budget for FY 2000/01, as determined by the Committee at its November 9, 1999 meeting, and to recommend approval to the City Council of the proposed Consolidated Plan for the period 2000 - 2004. The motion was seconded by Betty Sue Ester. Motion carved, 5-0. IV. UPDATE ON MERGER OF COOK COUNTY LEGAL ASSITANC1Er FOUNDATION WITH LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO Bill Kolen, supervising attorney for the former Cool: County Legal Assistance Foundation (CCLAF) office in Evanston, said that in November 1999 CCLAF ceased to exist and that legal services for LN1I Evanston residents were now being provided by the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago from the same office at 828 Davis Street. He discussed the 11/19/99 letter submitted to the Committee by Alan Alop, Deputy Director of the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago (LAF) in which LAF is requesting that the balance of the 1999/2000 CDBG grant award to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation be tranferred to the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago In addition, LAF is requesting that the FY 2000/01 CDBG grant of $7,600 recommended by the Committee to be awarded to CCLAF be instead awarded to the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago. Mr. Kolen explained that LAF intends to maintain an office in Evanston, with himself as supervising attorney, and that LAF will continue to provide free legal services to low income Evanston residents. k Housing and Community Development .Act Committee Minutes — December 14, 1999 Page Four Betty Sue Ester discussed a similar situation which occurred several years ago uith another agency. She said that she had no concern with transferring the balance of the FY 1999/2000 CDBG grant to LAF, but thought that LAF should submit an application for future CDBG funds during the regulation appbcation/funding cycle Aid. Drummer said that he considered the request for transfer of the FN' 2CX)a 01 CDBG grant award from CCLAF to LAF to be of an emergency nature He said if the City does not approve the transfer of FY 200(.�b1 funds to LAF, there will be no legal services for LMI Evanston residents after March 1. 2000, and the Committee must not let that happen He said that the changes in agencies occurred at the conclusion of the current funding cycle and it was not possible for LAF to submit an application for funding for the FY 2000/01 program. Ald. Bernstein said that he had no problem with the requested change in payee for the grant funds as long as an Evanston office is maintained, provides the same services for LMI residents and Evanston CDBG funds are used for operation of the Evanston office He said he would not be interested in pro%iding funds to LAF if the Evanston office were closed. Mr. Kolen responded that LAF plans to maintain an Evanston office for at least the coming year. Mr. Kolen and Ald. Rainey related the discussions which took place previously before the City Council's Human Services Committee in which LAF was requesting the transfer of City Human Sertiices funding from CCLAF to LAF It was pointed out that the City Council had approved the proposed transfer on December 13, 1999 Ald Rainey said that no change in services is under consideration, the request is just to change the payee She added that there are some advantages to having legal services provided by LAF, such as additional resources available to staff and clients Ms. Ester said that her concern was not whether LAF should receive the funding previously awarded to CCLAF, but rather that the request was coming to the Committee outside the regular funding cycle She said that she did not preciously understand that without City approval of the transfer of funds to LAF, that LMI Evanston residents would not be able to access free legal services after 3 1100 She thanked Ald Rainey and Mr. Kolen for the additional information, which was not contained in the 11118 letter from Mr. Alop Betty Sue Ester made a motion to approve CDBG grant award from Cook County Leg Foundation of Chicago and to award the F the transfer of the remaining FY 1999/2000 1 Assistance Foundation to Legal Assistance � 2000/01 CDBG grant award to the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago The motion was seconded by Ald. Bernstein. Motion carried, 5-0. 2C Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — December 14, 1999 Page Five V. COMMUNICATIONS A. 2000 Committee Meeting Schedule (proposed) B. Mental Health Board 2000 Funding Allocations C. Information from North Shore Senior Center and Evanston/Northshore Y%VCA D. News Articles l . City committee earmarks S2. 7 millron)br projects 2. Teachers join policy in home price disc-ounts 3. Will new management be able to satire CHA? 4. Vouchers offer needy homes closer topobs 5. Suburbs embrace growing diversity - economics, not race, often mauers most 6. Tenants, lcnndlord to be told of rights - Chicago cwnpaign out to ease tension 7. CHA transfer erupts into pourer struggle 8. HUD sued by tenants it; north of Howa7d 9. HUD tacks ifs to CHA rehab plan -- Daley told to honor residents' wishes on housing 10. Senate may aid housing for seniors H . Blaming Buildings offers no solution to housing woes 12. 0%,nership part of housing solution 13. Ruling on fairness - Neighborhoodi upset about Naperville teardown proposals? 14. Inclusionary rule -- Highland Park is .seeking ways to diversify its housing base Accepted into the record by Ald. Drummer Ms. Lufkin added an additional communication. copies of the September and October monthly reports submitted by Public Services agencies V. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT Delores Holmes, Executive Director of Family Focus, Inc. in Evanston, thanked the Committee for its recommendation of FY 2000/01 CDBG funds for Family Focus. She said that she appreciated the difficult process the Committee goes through each funding cycle trying to fund as many eligible projects as possible with limited funds. .39 Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — December 14, 1999 Page Six VEL ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 8:22 p.tm <�et ,� - 4-- Date. lanuary 12. 2000 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AC'r COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday. November 9. 1999 6:30 P.M. — Room 2403 Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid. Drummer. Aid. Bernstein, Aid. Kent. Aid. Rainey. Betty Sue Ester. Dr. Alvin Keith. Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin. Mary Baaske. Nieki Iviodaber, Doug Gaynor. Paula Haynes. David Jennings. James Wolinski, Mamie Smith 1. CALL TO ORDER/DECLARATION OF QUORUM Ald. Drummer called the meeting to order at 6:45. a quorum being present. IL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF OCTOBER 19, 1999 MEETING. -4�r. Aid. Kent made a motion to approve the October 19. 1999 minutes: seconded by Aid. Bernstein. ,`lotion passed unanimously. III. 2000/0I CDBG PROGRAM Communications Sally Lufkin distributed the pink sheets for proposals C l . C5. C9. CIO, C 11. Cl S. C 19 and C20. Ms. Lufkin explained that the HUD appropriations Bill had been approved by Congress and signed by the President. She said that on the national level there was an increase in Cl3k funding over last year's amount. However, until the Cit% is notified %vhat its 2000J01 entitlement amount %%ill be for, HUD officials have suggested using last year's amount of S'_.363.000 as the base figure in calculating estimated funds. She said that S 150.000 %%as expected in pay ments from the revoking loan fund, and approxiniateiN S22.000 in unused funds from completed years projects is available for reallocated to the 3000,01 program. This amounts to a total estimated funding for the 2000-01 CDBG program of S2.744.980. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — November 9. 1999 Pigg 2 Ms. Lutkin reminded the Committee that there is a 010 limit on the amount of funding that can be allocs:ed to%%ands Administratioe Planning protilects for a cap of S502,600. Requests in :hat calegrrN total $615.44,; necessitating that S 1 12,S43 be cut in this catcgorti In the Public Services categorn I i° o of the grant fund. a%ailable can be allocated toward Public Services ac:ivities I -lie Cit, has received applications totaling S43.1.834. with the Public per\ ices cap at S, 7t•.a;0. S3717.884 kill need to be cut. Aid. Drummer im ited C ommittce recommendations tier funding. Public Services Aid. Rainey made a motion to fund the Public Services agencies at their 1998 appropriation iwith the exception of the Girl Scouts which would he funded at S9.000, this -.-ear's revues: i for a total of S: -tb.l 55. :\U Raine% also recommended allocating S10.000 to each of the three necc applicants {EEAC I lospitalitti Center Mentor:7g Program. The Soup Kitchen. and I:\ anston Communit' xvide Children Safety Dac ). for a total of $176.155 tier Public Services activities. leaving a balance of 579_ Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion- He added that he had received communication from the Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation with respect to their refunding and that any allocation has to be subject to their continued funding. Motion pas.ged 6-1. Administration.'Plannine Aid. Raine% made a motion to allocate 5;16.000 to CDBG Administration. S77?00 to the Fair Fluusin, Program. and S100.600 to the Minority. Women. and Evanston Business Program for a total of S- 94.400 lea% ing a balance of $8.800. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. :Mier much discussion, Aid. Drummer said that the state position of ne:�hhorhood planner in the Planning Eli► ision could help the «Westside Citizens District Council %iih its economic development program. Fie added that there is S20.000 a%ailable in the C'DRG :administration budget which could be used to help the Wesiside Citizens District Council with their proposed planning stutd%- :aid. Drummer recommended that the remaining S8.800 be added to the IIBE'WBUEBE: program Aid. Raine%'s motion w-as amended as follows: C DBG .administration - S, 16.00. Fair I l0USiIW Program - S77?00. MBE/WBE• EBi ProLrarn - S l W).400. Ald. Drummer asked for a recommendation Iroin the Committee to ur:,,e the Cit% Council to allocate the remaining money requested b% the ,MBE WBE EBB- program from the Cit�'s General Fund. ,Motion passed unanimous)%. Housing; and Community Development Act Conimitter 1,linutes - November U. 1 QQ,) Paee 3 I lousing Betty Sue Ester made a motion to tun i Community Dr% elopment Administration at 594,150, Housing Code Compliance at S2 i9.100. Housing Rehab Administration at S2Io.000. Zoning Officer at S39.000. Program Income: Revolving Loan Fund at S 1:0.000. Single Family - Sluiti Family Revolving Loan Fund at 5300.000. Handyman Services Program at 515.000 and ,N linor Repairs'Painting Assistance at S 177,49 Aid. Raines seconded the motion. Discussion on the motion ensued; it 4ras noted that if all the housing caaegory programs are funded at the requested le -.el. there %%ould not be much monev available or funding page two projects. Motion failed 1-6. Judith 'I roadway made a motion to fund Community Development Administration at S80.600. (lousing Code Compliance at $776.400. Housing Rehab Administration at S21 1.300. and the Minor Repuirs.`Painting Assistance at 5177,261. Aid. Kent seconded the motion. iiscussion ensued after which a vote was taken. Nlotion failed 2 - 5. Aid. Bernstein made a motion to fund the Communit% De%elopment Administration at 580. I UU. Housing Ctkie Compliance at S226.-400. Housing Rehab administration at S21 1300, the Minor Repairs Painting Assistance at 5177.261, Program income for the Revolving Loan Fund at 5150.000. Slagle Family - Multi Family Reso[s ing Loan Fund at S200.000. and Handyma.n Services Program at S15.000 Ald. Drummer said he could cote against this motion because the motion does not lea.e much nione% to allocate to Public Improvements and Public Facilities projects. Judith Tread«as made an amendment to Ald. Bernstetn's motion to not fund the Single Family - Multi Family Loan Fund. Ala. Bernstein said he «ould accept that amendment for purposes of discussion Discu��ion ensued. Upon calling_ for a vote. Ald_ Drummer restated the motion as 6011imi Conttnunit, Dc',elopment Administration at S80.IOri. I1,,u,inLy Co& Compliance -it S225.400. Ilousing Rehab Administration at S"_'1 [.300. Singly Family - Multi Family Revolving Loan Fund at S 150.000 and Minor Repairs/Painting Assistance at S177.261. Motion passed 4 -3. Aid. Kent made a motion to fund Alexander Park, Restoration at 590.000. Beck Park Restoration S 100.000. 1 farbert Park Renovation Phase 1I1 at S 100.t)� Crown Part: Backsiop Replacement at 555.000. and Fleemood Jewrdain Coniniunit% Center € andscape at S75.0,)() Judith -1 rcad%ka,, secOnded the -notion. Aid. Rainev amended Aid. Kent's motion to include the Ilk%%%ard Streetsca:+e for 5300.000. Aid. Kent said he could not accept the amendnicnt in the amount of 5300.000. Betty Sue F,ster made an anien,iment to Ald Kcnt's motion to :und: Alexander Part: Restoration at S80.000. and Beck Park Restoration at S95.000. Aid. bent accepted the anicndment. Motion passed 3-2. Housing and Community Development Act Committcc Minutes - November 9. 1999 Pane 4 Aid. Drummer made a motion to fund the Child Care Center at S I 376. Family Focus. Inc.. at S50.000. Lincoln School Playground at S80,000. and Hill r Arboretum apartments at $84.000. Aid. Kent seconded the motion Judith Treadway asked to amend Ald. Drummer's motion to include the Toddler Town Day Care in the amount of S35.000 Aid. Drummer accepted the amendment. Sally Lutkin said that funding school playgrounds outside the CDBG Target Area would have to be brought before HUD for their approval. Aid. Drummer explained that the motion to grant S80.000 to District 65 for their playgrounds was contingent on District 65 s taking the S80.000 and applying it to a school within the target area that is iegall% sanctioned by HUD. In return for this grant. he directed that District 65 wvould fund Lincoln School playground out of the S 150.000 already allocated to►yard school playground improvements by the District 65 Board. Motion passed 7-0. Aid. Rainey made a motion to fund the Howard Streetseape Project at S300,000, She added that this project is ready for construction in 2000 and included streets. curb. side►►alks, landscaping. siFana_,e and adaptive lighting. The Howard Streetscape project is a joint project w ith the City of ChicaLo. Ald Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimoush. Aid. Bernstein made a motion to fund the Westside Citizens District Council at $38.788. Motion seconded by Judith Treadway. Aid. Bernstein explained that the City was transferring its o►► nership of the property at 1817 Church Street to the Westside Citizens District Council. He said he ►►anted this money allocated so that ►► hen o►vnership of the proprrt% is transferred. staff and community members ►till have some seed mone► with ►►ilich to go fior►yard with repo-ation of the building. Motion passed unanimously. Betty Sue Ester made a motion to fund BEHIV at S20,000. Cl'%I - Evanston Famil► Housing Ser►ices at S20.000, Cook County Legal assistance Foundation at S7.606. E►•anston C'ommunit► Dcfender at S77.000. EEAC I iospitality Center Mentortn-,, Program at S I0.000. YWCA Shelter for Battered Women at S35.000. Interfaith Housing Centers Homesharing Program at S20.000. \letropolitan Famil► Ser► ices Iader :Abuse at 5_5. ,60. National 1'ni►'ersit► Famil, Outreach Program at 22.590. Northshorc Sentt�r Center's F.%anston Skokie %,alle► Senior Sen ices at S 5_'.000. [lie Soup KitLhen at S1 8,000, Mouth Job Center S8.3.000, and the Graffiti ltemo%ai Program at S25.000, Ald. bent seconded the motion. Discussion ensued. Aid. RaineN said that ►en little is done in raising girls' selfesteetn. and the Girl Stouts offer a program that specifically targets self esteem issue, tL3r Liris. She Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — No%etnnber 9, P l- ; added that the Child Safet% DaN prograin to be pro%ided by the Evanston Fire Departnent provides for children's satet%. Hie program is for families %%bo are unable to afford child car seats and helincts for children using roller blacfrs or bicycles. She said that she was not in ta% or of removing funding from thc-se two programs. Aid. Bernstein said he shared Aid. Raine%'s sentiments. He felt that the Committee would be getting incredible %clue for a small amount of none% and does not want to see the Children Safety Day cut from funding. Ms. Ester said that she did not think the Committee should be funding the Girls Scouts Program or the Evanston Fire Department's Evanston Communitywide Safety [Jay because these programs were redundant. She added that these program- were offered elsewhere in the City. Aid. Drurntner responded that the Girl Scouts program is a good program that benefits V. anston's young girls. He added that in funding the Fire Department's Children ')alety Day. the Committee has an opportunity to fund all of the agencies that had requested funds in the Public Services Category, Judith Treadway spoke in favor of funding both the Girl Scouts and the Fire Department's Children Safety Day. Aid. Drummer restated Ms. Ester's motion and asked for a vote. ,notion failed 1-6. Betty Sue Ester made a motion to reallocate S231.980 in unused funds from completed prior years' projects to the 2000 01 CDBG program budget. Judith Treadway seconded the motion. Nlotion passed unanimously. Aid. Rainev made a motion to approve the proposed 2000 01 Communit% Development Block Grant Program allocations as listed above. Aid. Bernstein seconded the motion. Motion passed 6-1. IN'. OTHER COMMUNICATIONS I. fink Sheets ft.)r Proposals C 1. C -5. C9. C 10. C 1 1. Cl 8. C19 and C20 2. Fire Department Proposal 1051 for Children Safety Day Program 3. 2000M Entitlement Estimate Staff memorandum with re%iced funding estimates 4. List of unused funds from completed projects — For Committee Action to be reallocated to the 2000,01 CDBG Proeram ?. Re%ised 2000 01 CDBG Program Spreadsheet (dated l 1/4199) Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes -November 9. 1999 Paee 6 6. Committee Funding Recommendations 7. Responses to Committee member Betty Sue Ester's Questionnaire from Agency Applicants 8. Funding spreadsheets from Human Services Committee and Mental Health Board 9. ? _5 year CDBG program funding history 10. HomeFront - Housing Options for the MenWly Ill Newsletter 11. Youth Job Center Newsletter 12. `e..-s .articles V. STAFFICITIZEN COMMENT Sally Lufkin announced that a Public Hearing would be held on the proposed 2000/01 CDBG program budget as well as the proposed HUD Consolidated Plan 2000 at the Committee's next meeting December 14. 1999. VI. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee. the meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M. Respectfully submitted. ; C. f %tan E: aaske Executive Secretan Planning Division Community Development Department HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday. October 19, 1999 7:00 P.M. - Council Chambers Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid. Drummer. Aid. Berstein. AId. Kent, Aid. Rainey. Betty Suc Ester. Dr. Alvin Keith. Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin. Mary Baaske OTHERS PRESENT: Eric Huffman. Sam Turner. Leo Kitwin. Jan Weeks. John Camelot. Alexander Brown. 'Many Signature. Lynne Greene. Sandi Johnson. Judy Pfeifer. Suzanne Auburn_ Staci Davidson. Marlita Ingram. George Cyrus. Bettye Palmer. Thomas Sullivan. Soelle Smith. Ann Jennett. Esther Williams -Hays. Lisa Goodale. Emma Harmond. ,Nfamie Smith I. II. CALL TO ORDER Aid. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. 2000/01 CDBG PROGRAM .4 11 - North Share Senior Center - Evamsronl.Skokie Vallev Services Sandi Johnson. executive director of the North Shore Senior Center (NSSC), introduced Alexander Brown, director of the Center in the Evanston office and Mary Signature, case manager. Vis. Johnson thanked the Committee for their past support and said that while the North Shore Senior Center's request .vas for more money. the percentage it represents of their whole budget was smaller. Alexander Brown said the number ofclients and time spent with them continues to increase. NSSC's clients tend to be isolated. frail, low-income older adults, manv of which have been residents of Evanston since birth. Mary Signature said she had from 90 to 100 clients in her caseload. She said that she spends time each week at Levy Center. Ebenezer Primm Tower. and the Fleetwood Jourdain Nutrition Center. Ms. Signature related one client's history to give the Committee an indication of all the different aspects of her cas,•ti. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — October 19, 1999 paer ' Betty Sue Ester asked if the NSSC also helped clients who Mere al,used. Nis, Johnson replied that if NSSC even suspects abuse, the client is referred to Metmpolitzut family Services. She added that ,Metropolitan Family Services has the rrntract to serve elder abuse victims in Evanston and Niles Township. Aid. Drummer asked if NSSC has volunteers to help with their caseload. Ms. Johnso>z said that volunteers contribute 47.000 hours of service each near. In response to a question from Aid. Drummer. his Johnson said that since NSSC had been providing services in Evanston there has been no ~waiting list. She added that the reason for this was that NSSC made a commitment to raise outside funds so that there will be sufficient staff to handle the number of clients. .Alexander Bro%%-n said that whem people call they need immediate help and that NSSC is there to help them. A19 - Over the Rainhoi+ -Issuciarinn - Hill.-lrhoretum Anurtment5 Eric Huffman. executive director, asked Leo Kinvin. Sam Turner. Jan Weeks and John Camelot (tenants of Hill arboretum Apartments) to come to the front ofCouneil Chambers and speak to the Committee. %Ir. I luffman explained that Hill Arboretum was created so that people «ith physical challenges could independent. productive. and secure. that people in .%hcelcltairs could have apartments and moye about freely. Hill Arboretum also has a business center. built with CDB6 funding support. specifically adapted for people with physical challenges. Mr. Huffman said that the original plans for Ifill :Nrboretum Apartments specified a covered entr%%%ay and ramp to the main entrance of the building. The current tamp is about » feet long, and after nine years of testing. e%en though it is to code, the pitch is too severe for people in wheelchairs. `Ir.Hut rnan Baia that this year Over the Rambo - Association is requesting CUBG funds to reconstruct the ramp and put up a canopy o . rr the entry sidewalk to protect residents and others from the weather. John Camelot. president of the Hill Arboretum Tenant's .Association and board membrr said that [fill Arboretum Apartments vas one of the Cc•,. housing establishments for the lo,v income and severel% disabled adult population He said the tenants have a strong involvement to the: community including* %corking ssith local service agencies, shopping locally. attending local churches. and are quite active political Iy. .1,lr. Camelot said that the job training lbr people with disabilities helps ether people with disabilities in the communit,.. He added that local, small. minority and Xiamen o%%ned businesses in the community are used for renovations of the Hill Arboretum .apartments. 1. Houstne and Cornmunit. Oe•eloprncr* Act Committee �tinutr. - ()CIotN'r I U 10%)Q Paee Ian Weeks. resident of 11111 -Npartntents. exti larned that she came fn)tn .1 dilTerent perspecme and asked the a4L:__::nce to think: 6%hat it would be like if they lost their Job, friends. famrl% and home and '.ad to live in a chronic disease hospital for the indigent. which is affiliated with Ctxik Count} flospital, with a bed and a metal drawicr containing everything you had right Jk';tr three years of li% ing like that. suddenly sots go back to a chance for freedom and Since mo• tng to Hill Arboretum Apartments Ms. Weeks. as a registered dietician, has been able to teach nutrition to homeless Wren wtlh AIDS and is on the <taff with the Es anston 'Training Committee to dc%elop the ADD materials fix others She is also currentl,6 involved in staff training throughout City departments Sam Turner thanked the City of E:vans"ton. the City Council and Mayor for everything that has been done tip help the Over the s!ainhow• Association [Jill Arboretum Apartments. Ile said that with a ne-A ra-np and protectis.r covering morc people would be able to enter and exit the bmidtng Leo Kir.win, resident and board mernher �-f Hill Arboretum :Spartments said that the Hill .Arboretum Apartments has become a na . jonal model of auessible housin►t in independent living. Ile said that the apa~ment and systern technology designs are continuallw on Bob Villa's popular tele%rsion show flome Again. Mr. Kirwin added that people from across the country continua:.. call for information and housing assistance. Over the Rainbn.v Association also has a ..eh site used b_• people across the country as well as people in Europe. Australia. and 'apan. I -le added that when the Irish National Disabilit% Council toured the Reltabilax..+rt Institute of Chicano. Dr. Flznry Betts, renowned fur his elllurts on behali'o1 pe,_ T;e .%ith disabdines. referred them to Over the Rainbow. as the finest example of independent living in "e t.'nited State, `SIT Kin%in said that HUD and the CfIA ot'ChicaLo have contacted 0%er the Rainbow and said the. would like to come out and to see ho•% 0%er the Rainbow developed its plan. He said that HUD and the CI IA would like to im;•lemcnt more housing for people.+ith disabilities in the surrounding arras. Lllen Oalland. architect .with Rockwell ar�_J Associates. ;aid she changed the design of the ramp to take into account the dillicult. tl -;, people %.ith d,!:,abihtjes %%era: having using the ramp with its current slope. -I'll,: canopy L..uld stay the same lenLth but the ramp would exlend another thirty feet. . l 0) - M trimolitan Funid t .5'rr► is r.e - Elder I hirse !'rcwrrrru►n C 'r,r:rI V1 Ili, ,5'en eras Carla Frisch. supervisor of the Elder Abu_e Program, gale a history of the program. She said that Metropolitan Family Services D. anslorvSkokie Valle% receives funding from the State of Illinois to investigate reports ,_•f eider abuse and pro-, ide intervention services Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — October 19. 1999 Pate 4 to those residents where the abuse is substantiated. Evanston CDBG funding allows them to provide cpunseling from a masters level program to those people who need it. Ms. Frisch said that two years ago there were forty-t%vo reports of eider abuse in Evanston: last year there were a total of seventy-eight reports. Because the elderly people are counseled at home, they are able to sta% in their home longer before they need to go to a nursing home. Judith Treadway asked about a program mentioned last year regarding mandated reporting of elder abuse for those who could not report it for themsei%es and the fact that Metropolitan Family Services would be working with the police department. NIs. Frisch said that staff is on the agenda for police training in January. She said last year was more of a building year; for getting things together with the police department. Aid. Raine,. asked heats Ms. Frisch e%orks «ith Elie Community Relations staff at the police department. She asked whether the Police Department they referred clients to Ms. Frisch. 'Os. Frisch said that most of their referrals come through Victim Services Aid. Rainey asked that %%hen the term mandatory reporting is used, to %, hom are they reporting? 41s, Frisch said that the reporting is to Metropolitan Fancily Services as the designated elder abuse agency of the State of Illinois. It is mandated that if elder abuse is seen, it must be reported within twent,-four hours. She said that Metropolitan Family Services is not mandated to report abuse to the police unless the person is in danger, or to prevent serious danger. Aid. Kent asked if the Elder Abuse Pre%entton Services was able to help people in Evanston who spoke other languages. 'Y1s. Frisch said that there were people on staff that spoke; different languages and that language has not been a problem for the agency. Aid. Kent inquired if there ,.eas a relationship bet%%cen Metropolitan Family Services and the North Shore Senior Center. Ms. Frish said that the v%o agencies "ork verb well together. ,46 F_r'unsfun .1'uriltshore 111'C.-I - Mielter hor Baucreci Women & Chdilrtn Lisa Goodale, president of the board of the Y\VCA. said that the YWCA has provided services for battered women and children for twenty years. She described the following services provided by the Shelter: (1) provides women and children, who are victims of violence emergency transportation, emergency clothing. food, laundry facilities, and free medical care. (2) the: Shelter has 32 beds in I i bedrooms. t 3) the maximum stay at the Housing and Community Developmertr Act Committee Minutes — October 19. 199Q P351--- 5 Shelter is 90 days. (although there are occasional exceptions); (4) the %women in the Shelter receive comprehensive counseling and case management services, legal ad%vcacv. housing. health care, mental health serti ices. child care, financial assistance etc., and referrals or Advocacy for these services. Nis. Goodalc said that there are three never programs offered by the YWCA Shelter. t 11 the Courthowic program, which is an outreach program provided at the Skokie Court House where women are assisted in filing Orders of Protection; (2) an Outreach Educator who helps with informing; the public at large about the problem ofdomestic violence and helping victims of domestic violence acquire information about domestic violence; (3 ) Prevention programs in elementary schools support groups of 3". 4", and 5' graders which are designed to help teach anger management/conflict resolution and negotiating skills. Betty Sue Ester asked if the prevention program is only offered at Oakton School. GIs. Goodale replied that for nos% the prour-..rn is only at Oak -ton. but the YWCA is planning to expand it to other schools. NIs. Ester asked how many of the Shelter's clients were from Evanston. ',Is. Goodale estimated that about 50 or 60 of their clients each year come from Evanston; she added that the majority of their clients come from Chicago. She explained that the reason why so many of the clients come from Chicago or other cities is many times people do not %%ant to be in a shelter in the same community in which they live. In response to a question from Aid. Ber^.stein. Ms. Goodale said that the Shelter is in the process of submitting a proposal for transitional housing. .4 13 — Youth Joh Center of Evanston — Job Readiness, Joh Placement & Follow-un .' cervices. :inn Jennett. introduced staff and meml rs of the board of directors of the Youth Job Center (N'JC') of Evanston. She thanked the Committee for their past support for the Youth Job Center and said that while the% have tried to reduce their funding request for the last few years, this year they are increasing their request by $10.000. She said that the Youth Job Center is in danger of losing its Welfare to Work program. YJC received a t\vo-year grant for the program from the Fr} Foundation. which is ending this year. YJC hoped to replace the Fn• grant with Illinois State funding. Ho\%ever, the State of Illinois has overspent its money in other areas and has no new money for Welfare to Work Housing and Community Development :act Committee Minutes — October 19. 1999 Page 6 programs. In addition. the State is cutting back on welfare programs they have f uxled in the past. Ms. Jennett introduced Emmanuel Jackson, a firmer client of the Youth Job Center of Evanston, who is now the CEO of Innovative Technology Sy stems in Chicago. ?Vtr Jackson is also a YJC board member. Mr. Jackson said he had been in.-olved with YJC since 1983. He said that YJC gave him repeated employment opportunities. Access. support and opportunity allowed him to build his own company. Mr. Jackson said he is now offering financial and moral support to the YJC and is alp offering employment to some of YJC clients. Betty Sue Ester asked what amount of money was spent on the tutoring program sponsored by the YJC tits. Jennett said that she thought it cost approximately 56.500 Nis. Ester asked if YJC ,kas receiving money from District 65 Nls. Jennett replied the% were not receiving an% money from District 65 nor from District 202. Judith Treadway asked why the YJC program was more successful than the state program. Mr. Jackson said that he thought it was a credibility issue. Ile said that he chose to hire people from YJC because they are trained with business needs in mind. The State program pushes people to accept jobs they are not qualified for, have no desire to do, or jobs that pay minimum wage. YJC finds out what jobs their clients are interested to and spends a lot of time with them setting long term goals. In addition. YJC supplies ongoing support for their clients after they are placed in a position. A5 — Evanston Ecumenical action Council — EE:W llosmial►r; C enter Mentorink, Prourunt Torn Sulli%an. LEAC Lxecutite Director. explained that the E%anston Ecumenical action Council (EEAC) is a ,b-%Garold coalition ofapproximate]y 45 churches and church related agencies in Evanston. The goal of EEAC is to take: a look at hoe% tie in Evanston can lien in a di%erse communit% and huts %%e can pr(wide veat> +if looking at things such as racial reconciliation. The request for C'DBG funding is to protide ajob coordinator e%ho will provide a mentoring program that ttould .%ork %%ith indi,.iduals «ho hate been discharged from HiIda's Place and support them in the job seeking effort fie added that most people go through three or four jobs before the} stay at one and usually. after job placement, they are on their o%vn. The goal of the mentoring program would be to continue counseling, support on a one—to-one basis both before a person finds a job and after job placement. Housing and Community Development Act Committer Minutes - O toper l a, 1999 Paur 7 Betty Sue Ester asked ti the coordinator would be working «ith the clients or basirnllr working with the %oluntcer counselors. Mr. Sullivan replied that there would be scare direct contact with clients in addition to working %%ith the volunteers. A 12 - The Sottn Kitchen - The 3oun Kitchen Tir Those le ho Hurr Ester Williams I laves. member of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church said that the Soup Kitchen program has been in existence since 1987 and this is the first time the Soup Kitchen has applied to the Housing and Community Development Commiuee for funding :assistance. She explained that the program is housed in the basement of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church and provides one hot meal a week on Thursdays. The Soup Kitchen is staffed by 7 -- 10 volunteers, many of who are senior citizens and serves approximately 100 meals a week. The supplies needed to support this program such as water. gas, telephone, office support and appliances used by the Soup Kitchen have been underwritten by Ebenezer Church. However, ;'As. Williams Haves said that the kitchen equipment has not been working proper!} for some time (in some cases not at all) and needs to be replaced. Betty Sue Ester asked how much lbod was stored on a µeekly basis. Rev. Wade, pastor of Ebenezer AME Church, replied that shopping for the Soup Kitchen was done on Wednesday. the day before the Soup Kitchen lunch, but on occasion food is donated from other sources and there is a need to store that food. He added that some food was bought frozen, so there needs to be a place to store the frozen food as well as the refrigerated food. Aid. Drummer asked if it were possible for the Soup Kitchen to provide a hot meal on more days than just Thursdays. Rev. Wade responded that the volunteers who worked at the: Soup Kitchen \%ere senior citizens. a lot of them 70 and 80 years old. and that providing this one meal a week required a lot of work on their part. He said that there was a possibility that they could provide a meal on one additional day, especially because winter was approaching and the homeless needed to bet out of the cold for a few hours. Ald. Drummer asked if there %tiere any people that came to the Thursda% meals more than once. Re%. Wadc replied that approximately ?tl°'o to 60'0 of the people the} serge come repeatedly. Aid. Kent asked what the capacity of the Soup Kitchen is and whether that could be increased. Rev. Wade said that the Soup Kitchen had room to serve 150 - 200 persons. 1 lo%%ever. serving more people would mean increased usage of counselors, peacekeepers. restroom items, etc. Housing and Community Development Act Committer Minutes —October 19. I999 paer 9 Aid. Rainey asked what percentage of the people that come to the Sou; kitchen are people who are not homeless, but simply need a meal. Rev. Wade said that 7'A,p to 3% are not homeless. He said that Ebenezer Church not only feeds the homeless. rev also have taken some of the homeless off the street and housed them in one of the Church . 5 apartments Citv of Evanston — Parks/Forestry & Recreation C 12 -- Alexander Park Restoration 03 — Beck Park Restoration C14 — Ch-de/Brummel Expansion ('16 — Crown Park Backstop Replacement C'17 — FleetwoodlJourdain C'ommunin, Center Paul D'Agostino explained that the cost of restoring the parks has risen sharply in the last three years. not just for buildings, but also for property development. He said that the latest estimate for a playground facilit% that includes equipment, the surface underneath that equipment and drainage costs is in the vicinity of 560.000 to S70.V)O. He added that this was ;or the average playground. Another reason for the rise in costs is that the Cite is using outside architects for design work. In addition. the department's approach to restoring the parks has changed in that the whole park is being restored. not just a portion of the park. Ald. Drummer asked kIr. D'Agostino to provide the Committee with a breakdown of costs for each the parks for which CDBG assistance is being sought. .416 — Wesrsicde Oti:ens District Council — Black American 1leritaee & Technolovical Center. Bettye Palmer said that this project involves the complete renovation of the 1817 Church Street building. She told the Committee of the various changes'renovations that would be made to the building. Ms. Palmer said that the Council has applied for other grants as well. In response to a question from rid. Drummer. \1s. Palmer replied that the Council had applied for a 5-500.001) Brant that would be used for furnishings tier the building. the money being requested from the Housing and Communit% Development Act Committee was for renotations to the building. Judith Tread•+ay asked ;hat programming was being planned for the Black American Heritage & Technological Center. hts. Palmer said that they intend to offer computer classes and classes in math and science as it relates to an. Bett% Sue Eater asked how the programs offered at the technological center would benefit low and moderate -income residents of Evanston. iv1s. Palmer said that it %%ould provide Housing and Community Development .act Committee Minutes — October 19. 1999 Pavc 9, economic empowerment to low and moderate income residents on the 'West Side of Evanston. She added that the program would provide jobs and a research network for the residents. Ms. Ester asked how many jobs would be created b% the Center. Ms. Palmer said that in addition to encouraging entrepreneurships, there would be construction jobs because of the renovation. and jobs in the coffee shop which was planned for the building. Aid. Kent said that what is projected is that the Center believes that it will provide experience and opening avenues wxhen they are ready to make the connection with ETHS which now has an economic development program looking into the culinary arts. He said that the Center has had discussions •.,6ith Kendall College to provide a line that would go from the high school to the Center and then to Kendall College. .also, there would be jobs related to the Black American History Museum and its upkeep. Ald. Kent added that there have been some colleges offenng classes on learninL how to be a curator, learning how to put on exhibits, and learning how to take care of those exhibits. Fie said that hopefully that would bring in some of the young people who didn't know or have respect for a museum and open up new career avenues for them. A22 — Westside Citizens District Council -- C.'hurchlDudee Rede►•ebament Phinniniz Proiect Bettye Palmer explained that this request is for a grant for the redevelopment of Church and Dodge. She said that the Westside Citizens District Council had been studying this project for the last %ear. Betty Sue Ester asked ho,,%- the current businesses at Church and Dodge figure into the redevelopment planning project. Ms Palmer said that the businesses attended a communir. forum and one of the res% lts of that forum ►%as a list from the businesses. Ald. Rainey asked for some background concerning the different groups that «ere interested in the redcselopment of Church and Dodge. Ald. Drummer said that there -,tias a tierce that met at the high school for a number of «elks. %Oich included the econumL, development department of the Cite. the superintendent of the high school. M:-n flat Kerrigan of First Chicago Bank. Aid. Kent and others. At the same time these meetings were taking place another independent group of black entrepreneurs had stared to «ork and presented another plan for the red« elopment of Church and Dodge Ald. Raine% asked if there was a difference bemeen the E%anston Westside Residents :association and the Evanston Westside Citizens District Council and how the missions ,f Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes — October 19. 1999 P VK-1Q the two organizations are distinguished. Ms. Palmer said that the Evanston Westside Residents Association was a subsidiary of the Evanston Westside Citizens District Council. Ms. Palmer asked Sally Lufkin to explain about HUD's Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy. Ms. Lufkin said that HUD has a provision in its regulations for cities to develop revitalization strategies for housing and economic development improvement in a Particular area and that some of the CDBG Program rules can be applied aggregate rather than having to count individuals. She offered to send copies of the strategy guidelines to the Committee. Ald. Drummer suggested that Ms. Palmer contact Evanston Inventure to see what resources would be available to the Westside Citizens District Council. STAFF/CITIZEN CO.WNIENT Sally Lufkin said that the next meeting on October _b could start at 6 p.m. A public hearing on the HUD Consolidated Plan and would be conducted from 6 p.m. to 7:15. Ms. Lufkin said that that between 400 and 500 flyers had been mailed to Evanston citizens regarding the public hearing meeting and that it had also been publicized through the Evanston Review. At the conclusion of the Public Hearing the Housing and Community- Development Act Committee will start its meeting at 7:30 p.m. beginning with the housing applications, which it will review jointly with the Housing Commission. ADJOURNMENT There: being no further business before the Committee. the meeting adjourned at 11:10 p.m. Respectfully submitted, M. aaske Execu ive Secretan• Planning Division Community Development Department HOUSING AND COMMUNFTY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE NtINLrTES Tuesday. October 12. 1999 7:00 PAt. - City Council Chambers Evanston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid. Bernstein, Aid. Drummer, Aid. Kent. Aid. Rainey. Betty Sue Ester, Dr. Keith, Judith Treadway CHAIR: Aid. Drummer STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin, Mary Baaske OTHERS PRESENT: Aid. Melissa Wynne, Sharon Danhoff. Alexander Brown, Delores Holmes. Bob Roy. Michelle Kaplan, Elizabeth Ablah, Bill Kolen. Samuel Hunter. Djorgy Leroy, Helen Roberts Evans, Angelo Nikolay. gate Bostrom. Tracy Hubbard. Rachel Heuman. Ginn% Harlow. David NIvers. Larry Manson. Gincer. Miller, Teresa Infante. Flavia Gaspar I. 11 CALL TO ORDER/DECLAR-ATION OF QUORUM There being a quorum. Aid. Drummer called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. 2009/0I CDBG PROGRAM A. Communications Sally Lufkin gave the Committee copies of Nicki Modaber's memorandum on estimated federal funding for the City's 2000/01 CDBG program. She explained that Congress Was still deliberating on the HUD Appropriations bill, although late last week the Senate Conference Committee came to an agreement and the national funding for CDBG was being recommended at 54.8 billion, a S50 million increase over 1999. Ms. Lufkin said that Evanston would not know its actual entitlement until the end of December. and the HUD office in Chicago advised that the City use its 1999 allocation as a base amount for estimating funding for the coming program year. Together with the base estimated entitlement of S2,350.000 and adding program income of S 150.000 and reallocations from contemplated prior years' projects. Ms Lufkin said that staff estimated that S2.708.351 would be available for funding year 2000 projects. As of now. there are 44 applications. 22 submitted by Cite agencies and 22 submitted by City departments totaling S4.814.553. She explained that this will necessitate cutting a little over $2.000.000 off the funding requests. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutpc - ni-m6Pr 17 I QQQ ,Ip`r I Ms. Lufkin gave the following funding breakdoµ-n. Administration Caregory cap ( at 20%) is $500.000. applications 'Zotal S362.200. lea,. ins S62.000 to be cut. Puhlir Services Category Cap estimated cap rat 15%) is 537`.000 applications total 5434.834. leaving a little over S59.000 to be cut. She said there are no limits on funding in the other categories Ms. Lufkin also p�"cd out a updated spreadsheet. revised agenda and updated Committ. mail/phone listing. and an information booldez given to all applicants to the Committee. B. Agency Application Revie«- ,41 - BEHIV- ('onwiwnrti Unijy HIV, Ethicalional Utrtreac l Sharon Danhoff; Executv,e Director of Better Existence with 1-1 IV in E%artsion. explained that she %vas asking for funding for their Education Outreach Program and Community Unit% f GIs. Danhoff said that for ten years BEHIV has served Evanston residents .%hose Ines and family lives ha%,z been impacted by HIV. She explained that this -was done a variety of ways. Community outreach targets at - risk youth ages 13 -'_4. which is the largest growing age of cases of AIDS in the United States today. She said one out of every four ne%% cases of HIS' is a person under 21 years of age. In the United States one in eery 100 children between 15 - 24 is I-IIV positive. one in every 92 men is IJIV positive. and one in ever} 33 African .American men arc: IIIV positive. 10s. Danhotftold the Committee that Evanston has the second hichest number of•reported cases of AIDS in Illinois outside of the City of Chicago. She gave a summary of the ways in %z-hich BEHIV addresses the need for 1-11V AIDS information Ms. Danhoff said it is the goal of BEFII V to reinforce in youth behavior modification and kno%\Iedge of-141 ' and AIDs. She explained that a big part of the Community Unity program is Street Outreach; %kith professional staff the\ target every area of Evanston. It is BEI IIV's goal to keep the children in E %anston out of their Case ,Nlanagernent program, which is for people %%ho are diagnosed as IIIV positive, BLI11V «uuid rather spend its dollars. urne and etiort reducing risk and harm to the children so that ten years from nw.% thcy are not in BEHIV's Case Management program. Ms. Danhoff said that the funding requested is for a full time staff member,.ti-ho will work full time in Evanston dealing with IIIViAIDs issues in the schools and other locations �-%here children this age gather. Women at -risk and people of color are acival,; becoming the largest number of people becornin�.t infected «ith I Ill.', AIDS Housing and Community Development Act Committee lids UtPc . (lirtnhar 1) f 94U Patgo '2 She said that there is a public misconception that with the new medarines available one can take the medicines and continue living. But, AID; is an incurable, highly communicable disease and there is no vaccine and here is no cure. Bzgy Sue Ester asked whether BEHIV had to let the person go that -was doing the Red Cross training. if it had continued with that training on its own. Ms. Danhoff replied that they did have to do►►nsize their Outreach Coordinator b*4zcause of funding. the funds they are asking for tonight is for hiring this person under a contract to provide that Red Cross training to other star' members. Per educators who work with BEHIV within the community, and to insure that these individuals who already have their certification do not lose it. Ms. Ester asked if BEHIV does not receive the funding they are aski-m for. will it do any of that training or will that program be cut. Nis. Danhoff said that a different element would have to be do,.vnsized because the Red Cross training is too important to be cut. Aid. Kent asked whether BEHIV had been given support by the scho-ol board and junior highs. Ms. DanhotTsaid BEHIV is not given financial support but they are supported and do HIV education to children as ►oung as six using the Red Cross. age appropriate standards. Before the programs are presented ao children, all of their programs are presented to teachers and parents, so that the" know what their children will be taught. al - E►•c nvion f -nninninit • ender - Ev N fi or1 C ommuni! Mende, t ()fr Robert Roy. Senior Attorney. introduced ylichelle Caplan NicAndres.-s, a new attorney, in the Evanston Community Defender's Office. fie said th-' the Evanston Comtunity Defender's Office represents y outh under the a_ r of 2I , approximately 84% of the clients over the past yearwere age 17 or. vc-,,uzger. Approximately 68% of those clients ►were in juvenile court and had sc%ne matter pending in school, either disciplinary matters or multi -disciplinary conferences for special education services. Mr. Roy explained that his office had de•.=loped from being purely a criminal defense agency back in the early 1970's into a -, outh law advocacy program. He said that 100% ofthe people represented are !­ v.-income; 801'o are male. 209o female. Bight -tour percent are I" nr younger; 66 ` L are age 6 to the aQ;e of a sophomore in high school. and seven out often people %:presented live in one -parent homes. Besides the legal services program the Community Defender's Office -gas a Social Work Service program. which is meant to be crisis intervention counst'.kng. trying to connect their clients with the many other services offered in Evanst�: n Mr. Roy said that the Defender's Office had also established a Sibling SuF?ort Group Housing and Community Development Act Corrtnimcc Nfinyu►c - f1r1M,&, 1 I 1999 - the whole idea behind that group is to take young; kids who have t.►Idcr hrothy=-s and sisters who are involved in the delinquency system and to folk so them atout how to make better choices. and hox% once you've made a bad choice h► %% to change it, how to understand the connection betwc-cn anger and violence, and how to settle your differences without resorting to violence. Judith Treadway asked how many children were returning for additional servo cs after the fiscal year. I'Ar. Roy responded that their recidivism rate was approximately -13°16 which was a much lover average than the national average of 33' o. Betty Sue Ester asked if the Community Defender's Office had added any new components or taken away any components that have been done in the last two years. PAr. Roy replied that the greatest addition to the social work service component would be the Girls Group and the Sibling Support Group for younger kids of people «ho are in the delinquency system. With regard to legal services. Mr Roy said "business" was pretty constant, but with a higher percentage of people just asking for straight help on school related matters. Ile added that both school districts had asked his office to be a resource in the low income community regarding legal and social work. A3 - funk ['ounty Legiii.-fsyi•vi(itlo 1 urr►i(lution - Civil Legal Scrt•ices Bill Kolen. Managing Attorney of the Cook County Office Legal Assistance Foundation office in Evanston, explained that his office has been in Evanston for o.er 3(} years and pro% ides cis it legal services to low income and elderly residents of Evanston, and also other north and northwest suburbs. Civil legal services offered are in the area of housing t focusing on evictions). on public benefits (social security, unemployment compensation and %kelfare). and on family law v.ith a focus on situations where there is domestic v rolence. Nlr. Nolen said that CCLAF also provides services on consumer law and education law. CCLAF provides advice to clients all the way to representing them in state and federal courts. Mr. Kolen said that CCLAF's primary funding comes from the Legal Services Corporation. and is seeking C DBG funding as a supplement to the agency's other funding. He explained that CCLAF has lost signilicant amounts of federal funding v.hich has resulted in some loss ofstaff, but have been able to continue the high quality of service that is ver% accessible to Evanston residents. In response to a question from Bett. Sue Ester. fir. Kolen replied that the total number of clients sen ed will be 2.000. Housing and Community Development Act Committee MimiPc- n4-tnlwr I 1 1499 P.g S B 17 - Fa»ijt- Fours. Inc. - 11 Family Focus Center Samuel Hunter introduced himself as a Family Focus board member and said he wanted to speak about the capital needs of the Weiss -'sound. Holmes Family Focus building. He said the building needs to be tuckpointed and asked the Committee to give serious consideration to their funding request. Bette Sue Ester asked if the Family Focus bo-- d had a plan two finance of the capital improvements needed. Nis. Holmes replied that funding for capital improvements was part of the planning process in renaming of the Family Focus building. She said they have received a $50,000 matching grant to begin to establish some kind of fund to insure that the building remains and also for maintenance. his. Holmes added that the Board of Directors has to raise an additional S50.000 before Family Focus will receive the $50,000 grant. Family Focus has also received donations of.services. such as architectural, landscaping design services;'in addition, some actual landscaping and concrete have been donated. dI S - Child tare Center (f Eyansion - Buirldrre Regorannr Helen Roberts -Evans told the Committee that the Child Care Center has been located at 1840 Asbury. at the corner of Asbury and Emerson. since 1969. She said that the Child Care Center offers child care for 99 preschool children and are licensed for 100 children. Nis. Roberts -Evans said the Child Care Center also has a network of 23 homes which are licensed family child care homes - 20 of which are located in Evanston. 3 in Skokie. Those homes provide day care for between 100 and 115 children between the ages of 6 weeks to three years old. Fifty percent of those families receive government subsidies. She said that in the family child care homes. the Child Care Center would like to have 25 full pay children. but right now most families a.-e subsidized. The Child Care Center7tad a architectural firm Jo an assessment of the entire 1940 Asbury building. While the Child Care Center has done sonic of the repairs. there are other repairs for which they will need funding assistance. The assessment included roof repair. upgrading the electrical system. relocation of outside metal flue on Coach House to the inside. repair the railing on front stairs. replace flue liner on main building, and install a security system. :121 - Toddler Toit'n Dav Cure - 1juddine Renovation Angelo Nikolav stated that he owns and operates Toddler To«m Day Care. which is located at 1501- 1503 Howard Street in Evanston. He explained that Toddler To"m Day Care «as opened June 1. 1998. W'hen he bought the school, the building was in complete disrepair Since buying the building he has completely remodeled the building. replaced the chain link fence with a wrought iron fence. redone the landscaping. repainted the inside of the building, and put in new tloors. The Center is no« tilled to capacity and has a waitini: list. By enclosing the porch the area could either be turned the into a Housing and Community Development Act Committee hdinuten - Qrtni er 17 1 QQQ P1ft,r A conference room to do training and help the parent-,; «1tb their parenting: skills, or if the room is not turned into a conference room or voice, it ct.*uld tic used for infant cater to accommodate approximately ten infants. Judith Treadway asked how many of the children were E,.-snstion residents. Mr. Nikolav replied that,15%o of the children were Evanston resident A 70 School District 65 - District 61 Plcngroundc Therese O'Neil, Business Manager from School District 75 said that the Board of Education approved a prioritization schedule to address capital improvements needed at eleven school playgrounds. Ms. O'Neill asked the Committee to consider the District's application for ten of its schools recognizing that some of the schools do not fall within the geographic boundaries of the CDBG Target .Area. She added that some of the criterion for determining elig4bility for CDBG funding be submitted to HUD for consideration. Betty Sue Ester said that the Committee had previously g.•: en %Vashington School money for their playground. Ms. O'Neill replied that when the School District conducted its assessment. they looked at the age and sufficiency of equipment in comparison to the student population. Ms. Lufkin mentioned that there are three playgrounds at Washington School and the money given to the PTA was for one playground where the play equipment had been removed because it was unsafe. Aid. Rainey asked for a listing of the schools that are located to the CDBG Target Area. Ms. O*Ncill replied that King Lab School. Dewey School. park School, and Washington School were in the target area. Ms. Tread%Aay asked for a listing of the pnoritiration schedule listing the schools based on need. .aid. Wynne, who was in the audience distributes a copy of the schedule. Ms. O'Neill said that she wanted to stress that a lot of effort. and independent study was given to the prioritization schedule. She added that the inhe7ent negative to the schedule is that some of the schools listed in the application that come out at the top of the list do not tall \1ithin the geographic boundaries of the CD136 Target :area. Flou.-ever, she believed that there is a good argument that could be made Hl_'D about the dert%ation of the percentages and the criterion that the district uses versus what I -IUD uses and that an argument cL)uJd be made to HUD to sav that School District 65's schools qualify either individually by the population it serves or as a whole across the community. the schools are eligible to receive the monies and ha%e the plan endorsed and tallow the prioritization schedule. Betty Sue Ester asked why the School District has waited so long and alloyed buildings and playgrounds to get in such bad condition. She also asked «hat would be done with Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minwpc - rnr-tr%kPr t) 1000 o,tgg-77� the monies received from the TIF discussed at City Council on October 11. 1499. 4ts. O'Neill replied that the buildings are now in some of the best condition they ever have been. She said that significant work had been done to not only impro%c the envelopes of all the buildings over the course of the past three years. but that there have been three t-.r--w roofs. twelve buildings have had complete window replacement. electrical systems. boilers, univentilators, and new security systems installed. In addition. in the last two years significant work has been done inside the buildings. three auditoriums have been completely redone, and there has been major replacement of floor tile. interior painting - new classroom doors, ventilation systems. Nis. O'Neill said that the effort of the School District. at this time, is to make sure the buildings never again get in such a state of disrepair again. Nis. O'Neill said that while the playgrounds are as important, if not more important than the buildings, this is one iteni that was the last to be considered. Because the School District's expenses are increasing at a greater rate than the opportunity to gain revenues. it is looking for every available resource to assist them in providing the kind of environment everyone wants for their children. both inside and outside of school. Regarding the TIF monies received. its. O'Neill said that these funds would be applied to the School District's bottom line. but %%hatever is spent from the bottom line would be for the best use. Nis. Lufkin said that the overall criteria for use of CDBG funds is to primarily benefit low and moderate income people. The School District can show that at each of these schoots. because of their efforts at achieving racial balance, it can most likely show that at least 5 1 % of -the students come from LNII families. I lowever. for playground and park improvements HUD looks at a determination which is known as Area Benefit. which is the percentage of low -mod living in the immediate: neighborhood. She said that the Cit_ti• was able to help Washington School because it was located in the CDBG target area. CDBG funds could norbe used at Da«es School becausr it «as not in the tars!et area. However. Dawes School was assisted with HOME Depot neighborhood improvement funds. Ms. Lutkin presented the case to HUD and asked if a combination of low - moderate income statistics for each school could be considered in lieu of area benefit activity so that if playground ofa school is not located in the CDBG Target Area could still get CDBG assistance because of the income statistics of the childrens families. Nis Lufkin received a preliminary determination by phone from IIl'D which %vas that the City needed to follow the area benefit designation in determininL eligibilit,. `Is Lufkin said. at the Committee's direction she was willing to pursue this with I -IUD and find out if they would consider granting an exception. f l n - Lincoln School ELL - Lacidn .Sc-Jrmd PlitivrorinAl Trace Hubbard. chair of the Lincoln PrrA Beautification Committee, said that the school was asking for S 100,000 to renovate pla} ground equipment and enhance the play area for the Lincoln School students. She explained that Lincoln School is located in southeast Housing and Community Development Act Committee &4inutrc _ rlrtnNor T 7 1 000 Pa=� Evanston (northwest comer of Forest and Maip). and has a student population drawing from four of Evanston's wards. Fifty percent of the student population comes from the CDBG Target Area. 45% of the students are classified as low income. Ms. Hubbard showed pictures and diagrams of the improvements the PTA would like to make to d2c playground. In reply to'a question from BettN Sue Ester. Aid. Wynne replied that the PTA would remove a parking lot that %vas put onto a playground field about live years ago, expaind by a small amount the existing parking lot that District 65 currently owns. and sell permdu to the residents for the small parking lot on evenings and weekends. With that revenue the PTA will be able to purchase for the teachers Cits of Evanston day employee permits in the Cite parking lot that is directly across the street from Lincoln School. AlO:-ational LoWs t ntursit - Family Uutreuch Program Rachel Heuman, said that National Louis University's Family Outreach Program coordinator's position was no%ti part time, she and tsso others now share that positiom along with two aides. She added that they rely eery heavily on volunteer help. All of their speakers have to be volunteer speakers. National Louis continues to provide office space, supervisory staff, and assistance in :rant writing. Judith Treadway asked what site Ms Neuman was referring to when she said they had been reduced to one site. \Is. Heuman replied that the site was St. Nicholas Church on Ridge. She added that some programs used to be held at the Howard Community Center, before they were cut back to just the St. Nicholas site. Aid. Bernstein asked if they svee able to get fathers interested in the Family Outreach Program. Ms. 1-feuman said that most of the fathers held two jobs. but they do come in when they can. Aid. Drummer asked what languages were spoken by the families at the center. Ms. 1-leuman said that, at present. only Spanish, but everyone was welcome. Discussion ensued regarding teaching other languages. AU Drummer summed up the discussion by saying that anyone that comes in to the program, regardless of'what language they speak. could benetit by the materials that were available to them in the English as a Second Language program. .17- (_PM - ( im!1ections for (he 11unielc.+.s - Evanston Fam 1v H tisine .' cervicej Rev. David Myers. Executive Director of Connections for the Homeless introduced La,-rs• 1\4ansion. President. Res. Avers explained that Connections for the Homeless is the City's primary homeless agency. it pros ides three programs: 1. An Outreach program where workers go out and assess what the homeless person's needs are and refer them -,, appropriate resources. 2. Hilda's Place. a homeless shelter ss hich is open from 7 p.m. tc� 7 a.m. where meals are served and there are intense and enriched support services Housing and Community Development Act Committee hdjW ape _ Od-inhwr 1 ) 1 QLN P-. er 9 providing intervention for people in the shelter, especially around mental illness aril substance abuse. and 3. Family Housing Services, which has been operating su* h-t 1988. CAM provides financial assistance to families threatened %%ith homelessness. CPM has three apartments where families can stay for up to a year. They also provide referral services to families in need. Rev. Myers said that the CDBG funding requested is partial support for CPht's case management sen ices for the Fami<% Services program, fie explained that the case managers, the program director any the family case worker are essential to helping people and families as then move from being unstable in terns of their housing situation to Being able to find long term housing. The case managers .pork with families around issues such as how they became homeless and what the impediments are for them to become independent again, budgeting assistance, helping to find child care. finding employment, and getting training. Rey. Mi'ers aided that CPNI has additional funds to help families threatened with homelessness. Rev. Myers mentioned that CPNI ' as filed a separate application with HUD that would enable them to increase their apartments for the homeless from three to seven. He explained that the grant requires matching dollars. Betty Sue Ester asked what was the typical age of single parent mothers. Rev. Myers replied that the current acres are in the late twenties. but that they have noticed that the mothers are getting younger and are falling in the 17 - 23 year range. Aid. Drummer asked how CPNI handles the issue of affordable day care. Rev. Xlyers said that they have an arrangement .%ith the Evanston Childcare Network and children of the families in Cl Nt's program are abie to be moved to the front of the line for Title XX funding. Aid. Drummer said his understanding of the program is that right now CPIVt is providing services with three apartments in E,. anston, and that CDBG is supporting case management for the Family I lousing program. CPNI has applied for an additional grant from the federal government to increase those units to seven. The CDBG request for $20.000 would be used as a partial match for whatever is required in the HUD funding. Rev. Myers said he \%as correct. ,47 - (itrl Sc'ouls. Illinois Cru.ssroa 4i.% ( 'ormed - Con yr r ; A ►r r ftanswn - Eli-rabeth Ablah. Program ,Manager. introduced Ginger Miller. Community Relations Manager. tits. Ablah said that Evanston CDBG has been a very powerful source for Illinois Crossroads Council and the Making Choices and All About Us programs. Since March the Making Choice. All About Us programs and summer programs have served 287 girls Housing and Community Development :'act Committee tl ta44 t;+'t-4-ok- f n and young women. Because v the favorable comments from the schools =J thc girls who are participating in the programs. the Council has decided to cxpwid tl—tit programs in Evanston. She said that in addition to the programs now in existence, thc..•ttl be adding the follo%4ing programs: Reviving Ophelia, which is a classroom vi;tx, version of the book: Making Connections. %Nhich is an anti -bias corniculum that is a nin"tmm--ion program where students learn about differences; Working Out, a conflict resolution program that is now being develt:Nped: Sports Days. which is a program that also address teen pregnancy. drug abuse. etc and. Contemporary Awareness Evanston. which is a start-up program designed to erripo%ver 370 girls and young women ages 5- IS at a critical time in their lives. Bette Sue Ester said that the whole range of programs seemed negative, not something the Girl Scouts are supposed to do like baking cookies and going to Girl Scout camp. It seemed to her that this program emphasized every negative in the community. 'GIs. Ablah responded that there were some of the issues being addressed in the Making Choices program were negative, such as sexual harassment and abuse. etc. Ho%vever. there are a lot of positives addressed, such ?a role models and communication. She painted out that the Making Choices Program was geared for ages 6 through 12. they don't talk with five year old's about sexual harassment and abuse in relationships unless it's something that they bring up. %1s, Ablah added :hat the Girl Scouts do offer programs through the Contemporary Awareness Program for ages starting at 5. These are programs like Sports Days. Working it Out. Making Connections. which are age -appropriate programs. !GIs. Ester said that the girls in these program %k ould not be benetitt1ng from the national all around Girl Scout experience Ginger Nliller said that the Girl Scouts do these Programs all over the country. She said they have always offered programs it) children who lived in areas where there not the traditional program run by volunteers. The difference is that these programs are managed b-, paid staff. Often times there is a transportation problem' and that ,+hy often the: prL?granis take pl.rce in the during the school day. She said that an,. -if these children would be eligible to go to Girl Scout camp. ,'pis. Ester asked if any of these girls .vent to camp to which NIs. ~Miller replied that they certainly do. Because all ofthe panicipants are registered with the Girl Scouts, theN receive maiiint:s from Urls 5cou,, of the f ISA «hick is tltc national oruanization GIs. Ester asked ho%% many girls did the troop leaders take to the camp. Ms. Ntiller said that troop leaders don't take girls to camp, girls go to camp on their own and their parents usually take them Girl Scouts do not go to camp in a troop like b o% scouts. Ms. Miller said she didn't think that the appi::ation %%as t0r funding io take: children to Summer camp. which %kould be an entirel< emremely expensi%e operation. In response to questions from Aid Kent. Ms. Ablah replied that Girl Scouts of the LiSA Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - Q-h)hor t 7 t 494 Pnq,► 1 t has a new brand voice called Girl Scouts Where Girls go Strong. Sht said that girls sports is a really strong component of that, Illinois Crossroads is hosting a conference that is about girls sports and getting other councils to learn how to implement the girls scouts program into a council. Ms. Ablah said that the programs are really dependent on what the school administrators decide they would like to do in conjunction with the Girl Scouts Council. Illinois Crossroads does have quite a few math and science programs and intends to expand these programs. She added that, at this point, they are not in ETHS, but do intend to be there in the future. Aid. Rainey said that when she read the Girl Scouts proposal all she saw was positives. She mentioned that Rev. Myers has just told the Committee that the number of teenage single mothers is growing. aid. Rainey said that young women who have self esteem, self confidence, and awareness of their bodies do not become single mothers in their teenage years. She said that the Girl Scouts takes the most potentially disorganized group of people and makes it possible for them to have the potential to become stable, healthy, self-confident women. Aid. Drummer said his understanding was that the mi;sion of the Girl Scouts was to assist all girls, it's not necessary to be in a troop. He wondered how the program was run with only $9.000. Ms. Ablah responded that the $9.000 grant would only be supporting part of the program. Aid. Drummer said that he understood that unlike in the past. most of the girls do not want to wear uniforms because they don't want to stand out from their friends. Ili. COhiINIUN[CATIONS Aid. Drummer accepted the communications into the record. 1V. STAFF COMMENT Sally Lull -in said that the rest of the agency applications and Public Works Department would be reviewed at the October 19 meeting. Ms. Lutkin said that she would be sending out information about a public hearing for community input for the next ti%e-year Consolidated Plan. The public hearing will be held October 26. before the Committee's regular meeting. It will start at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers. and will be held jointly with the Flousine Commission. V. ADJOURNMENT There being, no further business before the Committee the meeting adjourned at 1 1:00 P.m. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minirfpc r 11 1000 Respectfully submitted, Mary aaske Ex ve Secretary Planning Division Community Development Department p1gP 17 W HOUSING A.N-D COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: OTHERS PRESENT PRESIDING OFFICIAL: I. CALL TO ORDER MINUTES Tuesday, May 11, 1999 7:30 P.M. Evanston Civic Center Aid. Drummer, Michael DeVaul, Betty Sue Ester, Judith Treadway Aid. Bernstein, Ald. Kent, Aid. Rainey, Dr. Alvin Keith Sally Lufkin, Morris Robinson, Community Development Department; Roger Crum; Bill Stafford, Chad Walton, Finance Department Laurie Marston,'vl/W/EBE Committee; Eitan Kushner, ECMC; Hens Bajwa, Alex Ammar, E. B. Harper, Bennett Johnson Aid. Drummer, Chair The meeting was called to order by Aid. Drummer at 7:35 p.m., a quorum being present. H. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 13, 1999 MEETING Michael DeVaul made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 13, 1999 meeting; motion seconded by Betty Sue Ester. Motion carried, 4-0. III. COMMUNICATIONS A. HUD Letter from Assistant Secretary Cardell Cooper B. Invitation to Spring Party in Elks park from Southeast Evanston Citizens Planning Committee C. Interfaith Housing Center Spring 1999 Newsletter D. Housing Options for the Mentally III Spring 1999 Newsletter E. March 1999 Monthly Reports from Public Services Agencies F. Articles: 1. Turning the corner - Grand Boulevard, lVoodlmwt South Shore 2. In school and out of trouble is project 's dream for kids (Evanston "I Have a Dream "program) 3. Student rehab project makes house a dream a larger audience Housing and Community Development Act Committec Minutes - May 11, 1999 Page Two 4. Housing crunch keeps manti- out in the .old 5. CHA gadfly might h<n-e one more deal 6. Rent decontrol yields some surprises 7. In Santa .'Monica, rent decontrol brings curprLses 8. Making the third ghetto' (Editorial) 9. Tax dollars at work 10. Soaring housing costs are culprit in s0wrban pcnyrn- The communications were accepted into the record by Ald. Drummer. IV. PROPOSAL FOR PREPARATION OF CDBG VIDEO Eitan Kushner, Executive Director of ECMC, presented his proposal for preparation of a 25th anniversary video history of Evanston's CDBG program. The proposal is for a 10 minute video highlighting accomplishments of the CDBG program over the past twenty-five years, showing what has been done with CDBG funds both on City and agency -funded projects. Estimated cost will be no more than S1,000.00. V. DISCUSSION WITH MINORITY/WOMEN'S/EVANSTON BUSINESS COMMITTEE Ald. Drummer introduced the discussion stating that the Housing and Community Development Act (CD) Comminee has been very supportive of the Minority-Women's,Evanston Business Committee and that the CD Committee finds it vitally important that it stay in touch with the activities of the M/W/EBE Committee. He noted that the CD Committee is sometimes called upon to support the M/W/EBE Committee and sometimes defend the comminee. Therefore, it is very important that the CD Committee keep informed about the activities and issues before the \'VW/EBE Committee, particularly during the annual funding cycle when additional funding is requested to support the City's M/W/EBE program. Ald. Drummer introduced MA''EBE Committee chair, Michael DeVaul. Mr. DeVaul introduced Laurie Marston, member of the Minority-Women's/Evanston Business Committee, Moms Robinson, interim INVIAVEBE coordinator, Bill Stafford, Finance Director, and Chad Walton. Purchasing Agent. He discussed the recent history of the yVW/EBE Committee, saying that the Committee had been reconstituted and the current membership on the Committee had been in place since January 1998. Mr. DeVaul said that it was hoped that representatives of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Committee could be members of the ,vVW/EBE Committee, but those memberships have not yet been accomplished. He added that both organizations had indicated that they did not have anyone who could devote the time necessary to reach the goals of the vtA'/EBE Committee. Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - May 11. 1999 Page Three Mr. DeVaul said that the City Council had given M/W/EBE Committee an agenda with fifteen strategies/goals to be developed by the committee. The committee has taken up this agenda and has been and continues to work on the charge set out for the committee b , the City Council. Mr. DeVaul introduced Bill Stafford, Finance Director for the City, and Chad Walton. Purchasing Agent, who discussed the purchasing goals developed by the LLW/EBE Committee and staff. Bill Stafford said that as the NNWEBE Committee and staff develop or refine purchasing guidelines and goals for the City, it may be necessary to return to the CD Committee at a future date to seek its support and perhaps request additional funding. He said that the more people who understand the goals of M/W/EBE contracting, the easier it will be to achieve the objectives set forth by the City Council. Mr. Stafford said that he and Chad Water would discuss the new purchasing policy, development of a database, vendor outreach to the community and business section, development of initiatives relevant to new developments (i.e., Church Street and Scribcor projects), and areas where future discussion of the M!W'fEBE program and committee could be directed. Local purchasing Policy - Chad Walton said that the Cite Council recently approved a new local purchasing policy. which modified the City's purchasing ordinance. The revised ordinance gives a 5% benefit to Evanston businesses. This means that when the City, in conducting a competitive bidding process, can award a contract to an Evanston business, even though it may not be the low bidder. The criteria for making such a contract award to an Evanston business is that the Evanston business's bid must fall ,%Nithin 5% of the Iow• bidder and the low bidder is a business located outside Evanston. Mr. Walton said an -Evanston business", as defined in the revised purchasing ordinance, is a business which is located within the corporate limits of the City of Evanston and is subject to City taxes and/or licenses. He added that the purchasing policy applies to both formal purchases (purchases that are S 15,000 or more and require competitive, sealed bids) and informal purchases (less than S15,000), which do not require sealed bids. Mr. Walton said that this is a direct way for the City to have a major impact on the amount of contracting business which may be awarded to Evanston businesses and can help increase and stabilize growth among Evanston business and the tax base. The Cit% wants to retain Evanston businesses and this mechanism is one way to possibly keep businesses in Evanston. Mr. Walton said in the past. the City had a local preference policy which permitted the City Council to award a contract to an Evanston business if its bid was within 3% or S1,000 of the low bid. This policy was applied onl} to formal purchases. Under the new purchasing policy, the 5% rule applies to both formal and informal purchases. 20°1'o Goal for all Contracts - 41r. Walton said that a goal of 20% ,%UW/El3E participation is a part of some of the contracts awarded by the City, particularly construction -related contracts. Those contracts usually have a number of different trades involved, in which it is possible that some of the sub -contracts can be made to NIAVIEBE businesses. fir. Walton said that he has been keeping data Housing and Community Development :act Committee Minutes - May 11, 1999 Page Four on contract awards since he started working for the City in November 1908. since that time, tL-m7W purchase awards have been awarded by the Cite Council totaling $3.5 - _ " million. T%%-o m0lion dollars of those contract awards have been made to M!W/EBE businesses .x 544,., of the &,=a) contract awards to M/W/EBE businesses. He added that this ,.% s accomplis2Sed by requiring that 20% of the contract be awarded to N/W/EBE businesses. He said that he anticLnat d that the armnunt of City business awarded to 11fW/EBE businesses \vill probably increase once it is applied to eery bid or contract awarded by the City. Police/Fire Pension Fund - Mr. Stafford said that, as treasurer of the City's Potir-'Fire Pension Paid, he has urged the board to consider making investments with local businesses. He said there had b= a change in the law regarding investment of the Police/Fire pension fund which now permitted the fund to invest in equities (i.e., stocks and bonds). Previously, these pensioc funds could non be invested in the equities market. Mr. Stafford said that $2.8 million from the Ponce pension fund had been invested in two funds through Heil & Heil Insurance and that the Fire pemsion fund investment committee had agreed to invest $1 million through Heil & Heil with an additicaal SI million to be invested in an Evanston based fund. With the change in the pension investir� laws, the City has been able to do almost $5 million worth of business with an Evanston business. Microsoft Access Database - Chad Walton said that the Purchasing Division is in the proem of creating a vendor database using the Microsoft Access program. The Access program allows the City to capture data that it had not been able to create with the current financial management system. The Microsoft Access database will allow the city to monitor activities and help shape the City's future purchasing policy. While the City is still in the process of creating the database, it has downloaded aziprorimately 3.000 vendors from the Accounts Payable data files. A survey mailing was done to these vendors as well as to vendors who have expressed an interest in doing business with the City in _be past. Members of the NVW/EBE Committee have also distributed copies of the survey to busil-)esses, the survgvs seek information about each business, including whether the business is minor -.Ty. woman-owmu d or an Evanston business. Information from the survey will be entered into the da abase and the City will be able to track purchasing from a M/WfEBE perspective. '1r. Walton said that the database will also be used to maintain the M/WIEBE directory, use of which will be critical to meeting the 20% 1NI. M"EBE goal in all City contracts. The M/1VTBE directory will be distributed to staff. to be used when seeking bids for purchases. P:vspective bidders will also be able to use the director or can also check with the NVW/EBE Coordi=or when they are seeking M/W/EBE subcontractors. - .fr. Stafford added that the database is important for the City in meeting its purchasing goals for mo reasons: it will be able to keep track of how`- the City is spending its money on contzract purchases and whether it is meeting its contracting goals: and it will give the 'WW/EBE Committee and others a Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - May 11. 1999 Page Five way to measure progress so that the City can gauge its success with the revised purchasing policy. Vendor Outreach - Mr. Walton said that the City is interested in haveing vendor fairs related to specific projects, such as the Church Street development. Through the vendor fair, generzl contractors can identify M/W/EBE subcontractors and will help general contractors meet the 20'M9 NM/EBE subcontracting goal. In the future the City would like to have a vendor fair where City departments and vendors can meet to discuss upcoming purchases and contracting opportunities. Chamber of Commerce. Inventure. Evmark - Mr. Walton said that the Cite is interested in developing links with local organizations, helping to educate them on doing business with the City and learning from them what the City could do to increase its business with local and M/W/EBE businesses. He discussed the recent bid award which was made to Evanston Nissan to purchase two vehicles for the City, made possible by changing one or two requirements in the City's purchasing policy. Morris Robinson added that the City also wants to strengthen its relationship with Northwestern University and look for opportunities where the City and Northwestern can participate together on purchases. v - Mr. Walton discussed the two large construction projects with Arthur Hill and Scribcor (office building construction on Emerson Street at north end of the Research Park), which are either underway or will be starting up shortly. He said that for these two projects the .%1,Vv/EBE compliance goal requirement is that 25% of the contract must be with M/W/EBE businesses. In fact. the 25% goal was made a part of the development agreements, with penalties which can be assessed if the goal is not reached by the developers. Scribcor and Hill representatives have attended M -%V, EBE Committee meetings and there will be a vendor fair in the near future to make sure these developers achieve their M/WlEBE goals. Staffing - Mr. Stafford discussed Finance Department goals and philosophy. He said that one of the three goals, set by the City Council, for the department was to promote M/W/EBE in purchasing. He said that he did not think that the yl/W/EBE program was just for purchasing but contained a broader goal which can be adopted by the City as a whole. Mr. Stafford said that his department is planning to start interviewing candidates for the M/W/EBE Coordinator's position. A first review of applications was recently completed and a group of well qualified candidates has been invited for interviews. Once a coordinator is hired. Mr. Stafford said that he wants to work with the coordinator to determine what staffing level would be needed in order to run a viable Si NWEBE program for the City. He said that at a later time he would like to come to the CD Committee and discuss what is needed to run a good MANVEBE program including, perhaps, adding staff positions. Morris Robinson added that with the large development projects, a "hands on" type of person is needed in this position, as the M,"\i'/EBE Coordinator will need to Housing and Community Development Act Committec Minutes - May 11. 1999 Page Six work closely with the developers to monitor the projects and ensure that they meet their M/WrEBE contracting goals. Ald. Drummer said that the CD Committee is definitely in support of the goals of the M/W/EBE program and noted that there was no point in having a program is the City caanot provide adequate staff to make the program work. Future - Mr. Stafford said it will be critical to monitor the M/W/EBE progmm's performance with the information to be provided by the database over the next year. As information is added to the database, the Finance Department will be able to generate reliable reports on how the City is meeting its M/W/EBE goals. Mr. Stafford said that it was his intention to make the N-11AVEBE program more a city-wide program and reality; not just a Finance Department program. He said there are two other areas the department is working on: (1) a new financial management system will be purchased in the near future, which will be critical to monitoring the `L WTEBE program. The department will be able to transfer the information in its Access database to any new financial management system that the City may purchase. (2) The department, along with the MIW/EBE Committee, will be preparing a new purchasing manual which will incorporate all of the goals previously discussed. Aid. Drummer thanked Bill Stafford and Chad Walton for their excellent presentation. He said that he was very excited with the goals and projects discussed and was looking forward to seeing the NVW/EBE program able to move toward its goals. He said that the goals and projects discussed by Mr. Stafford and Walton were the type of things the CD Committee wanted to see take place all along and he was very happy to learn of the progress being made to date. Michael DeVaul noted that the City Council also has approved the recommendations made by the disparity study, some of which have already been translated into the NtVIEBE goals discussed at this meeting. He said that the ti1fNViEBE Coordinator's position has been transferred from the City Manager's Office. where the coordinator reported to the Assistant City Manager, to the finance Department. This will enable the coordinator to work closely with IVir. Stafford and Mr. Walton on the NVW/EBE goals. He added that the NnV/EBE program has made significant progress in the past few• months and that for the first time the department is able to capture data and measure some of the program's performance goals. Laurie Nlarston, member of the INLAV/EBE Committee. said that she has been concerned that it had taken a while to move forward on some of the goals set out by the tit'W/EBE Committee, but was very happy that things are starting to move forward now. In response to a question from Betty Sue Ester concerning employment of Evanston residents at the Target/Jewel and Home Depot projects. Nir. DeVaul said that he did not have specific information on those two projects. However, he said that he recently received a report from Harza on the City's sewer project. He said he was very impressed with Harza's ability to meet its MfNVTBE goals on Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - May 11. 1999 Page Seven the sewer project. Morris Robinson that he has taken a survey of the Home Depot and Target/Jewel projects, collecting information on the new of new jobs created by the projects. He said that he did not have a breakdown of that information as to how many Evanston residents are employed by those stores, but offered to provide that information to the Committee at a later date. Chad Walton passed out two reports: Scribeor's M,1 W/EBE contract participation on its building construction project, and a listing of the MAV EBE bids contracts the City has entered into since November 1998. He also distributed copies of the vendor survey. In response to a question from Ald. Drummer. City Manager Roger Crum said that he has spoken to Arthur Hill that it is very important to involve Evanston residents in the Church Savet construction project. He has told Mr. Hill that the goals in the development agreement are not just something which can be "signed off' on by the development. Mr. Crum added that he hoped that as the new M/W/EBE Coordinator comes on board and the Hill project begins, the City will have an opportunity to ensure that Evanston residents and businesses are involved in it. He said that he couldn't promise that all of the goals in the development agreement will be achieved at this point, but he said that he could promise to continue to badger Xir. Hill about meeting the project's 25% M/W/EBE goals. Ald. Drummer asked whether projects brought to the vendor fairs could be broken down into the dollar amount of work by trade so that prospective bidders can see which components of a project would be appropriate -sized for their businesses. Mr. DeVaul responded that the City has already spoken to both Scribcor and Arthur Hill about breaking down their projects by trade. He said it also would be important for them to develop timetables as well, so that bidders can see the estimated timetable for performing their portion of the project. Ald. Drummer again thanked Mr. Stafford and Mr. Walton and members of the MIW/EBE Committee and staff for taking the time to bring the CD Committee up to date on the activities of the MIVA'/EBE program and said he %&-ds looking forward to hearing about great progress in achieving the program's goals. VI. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT Salle Lufkin distributed to the Committee invitation letters to the June 8, 1999 Section 8 Panel Discussion. She said that three panelists had agreed to participate in the meeting: from HUD, the Leadership Council for Metropolitan Open Communities, and Cook County Housing Authority. and that Alan Gitelson, chair of the Evanston Housing Commission, will serve as panel moderator. Ms. Lufkin asked that Committee members submit questions in writing on the form enclosed with the letter of invitation. She said that all persons invited to the meeting are being encouraged to submit questions in advance of the meeting. Staff would like to share the questions and concerns with the panelists, so that they can prepare for the meeting. hls. Lufkin said that in addition to the CD Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - May 11, 1999 Page Eight Committee. the panel discussion will also be hosted by the Evanston Housing Commissioa amd the Evanston Human Relations Commission. She said that over 400 letters of imitation had been mailed Out to the three boards' mailing lists. The meeting will also be ad♦vrdscd in the Evcrwon Review and ECMC has agreed to videotape the meeting. VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the Malting adjourned at 9:20 p.m. Staff . 14 . Z;;Z-1 r Date: Jul3e 2, 1999 0 HOUSING AND COMMUNM- DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT . MBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESEN`I OTHERS PRESENT: PRESIDING OFFICIAL I. CALL TO ORDER MINUTES Tuesdw-,. April l ' 1999 -30 P.M. Evanston Civic Center Ald. Drummer, Aid. Bernstein, Aid. Rainey, Michael DeVatiL Bette Sue Es-er. Dr. Alvin Keith, Judith Treadway Ald. Kent Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department Alexander Brown, North Shore Senior Center: Morris Robinson. Jr., E%anston Neighborhood Conference Ald. Drummer. Chair The meeting c,as called to order by Aid. Drummer 7:40 p.m., a quorum being present. il. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 9, 1999 MEETING Michael DeVaul made a motion to approve the minutes of the March 9, 1999 meeting-. motion seconded by .Aid. Bernstein. Judith Treadway asked that a few sentences be added to the minutes indicating that at the conclusion of the meeting, the Committee was given a tour of Hill .Arboretum .Apartments. With the addition, the motion carried, 7-0. III. COMMUNICATIONS A. Proclamation: 25 Years of Strengthening Evanston's Neighborhoods with Community Development Block Grant Funds B. Committee mailing/telephone list C. Letter from Evan5ton.'Skokie Valley Senior Services D. intormation on Section 9 program E. HUD press release - New HUD report shows strong economy worsens housing crisis 10r p,,orest families as waiting lists for HUD housing housing _gro%k F. .Articles: I . Ta'vlor flomes re.slde►rti ceek help to demolition by CHA �. C'H. d director digging 1R The bottom lure housirre is not guaranteed 4. L&ont monet - Home sn•le loan includes rehab money in the first mortgage Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes -April 13. 1999 Page 'rwo The communications were accepted into the record b% Ald. Drummer. REQUEST FROM ENGINEERING DIVISION' TO REALLOCAI'F. CD13G FUXDS FOR 1999 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS .aid. Drummer said that the Engineering Di%iston is requesting an additional S_.5.000 liar the L4" Davis Street paying project and an additional S9.000 for the 1499 Alle% Resurfacing project. Aid. Rainey said that even. %ear the Engineering Division asks the Cite Council for locations for curb/sidewalk replacement projects. She said that she had submitted a list of over 50 location5 for curb/sidewalk replacement in the Target Area: most of the locations were for sidewalk replaccm=n. She said that one of the best things the City does is to offer this program and it is important for c-,arbs and sidewalks to be kept in good condition. ,^anicularl% since they are in front of peoples' horses. The Committee discussed reallocating the r_:riaining 1908 Curb Sidewalk Replacement program funds to the 1999 Curb Sidewalk Replacement program and using Project Contingency funds to supplement the Davis Street Paying project an-4 the Alle% Resurfacing project. Sali%, Lufkin said that there %%as approximately S42,000 in the Project Contingenc% fund. Michael DeVaul wondered .%hether the Committee should treat Engine ring's request for additional funding any differently from an agency request. It was pointed out that both projects were funded at less than the requested funding levels and that if the Cit% was going to be able to do the projects in 1999 it would need to allocate additional funds. Betty Sue Ester made a motion to reallocate the 515,342 remaining in the 1998 Curb/Sidewalk Replacement program to the 1999 Curb, Szde%%alk Replacement program. for a total budget of S40.342. The motion %%as seconded b% Ald. Rainey. Motion carried unanimously, 7-0. BettN Sue 1=ster made a motion it, reallocavon S25.000 from the Project Contingency WI-01 fund to the 1999 Davis Street Paving project ( for a total budget of 575.000) and to reallocate $9.000 from the Project ContingencN (ULO) fund to the 1999 Alley Resurfacing Program (for a total budget of S39,000). The motion uas seconded b-,- Alit Bernstein. Motion carried unanimously, 7-0. V. DISCUSSION ON' PROPOSED .aDDITION'AL PERFOR IAN'CE EVALUATION QL'ESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GRANTEES IN' MOhTHLY/QUARTERLY REPORTS The Committee discussed a memorandum from Beth Sue fester .%hich contained suggested questions to he added to ► rantees quarterly reports. Nis. Ester said that she %%ould like to know not only the number ofclients served by an agency, but Mould also like to knov. something about the quality of service giten to each client. i.e., hog+ much time is spent «ith each client, results of services offered by the agency. She said that she is still not getting a clear picture of %k hat kinds of services grantees are providing their clients. 'vls. Ester said it %..ouid be helpful to kno%% whether grantees are meeting Housing and Community De%elopment act Committee Minutes -April 13. 1 Q94 Page Three their projected goals and. if not. what ar= the reasons. She added that it would also be helpful to know what outreach efforts are being made b% an aeenc% Judith Treadwa% said it would be helpful the Committee to know how each agenc% defines -unit of sen ice". Aid. Bernstein said that it looked like his. Ester would like each agency to basically report in detail on each client and he did not know if it would be possible to recei,e detailed information on each client. Nis Tread,.4a-. suggested that the Committee may want to ha%e grantees paid according to the number of units sen _d during the month. Aid. Drummer commented that most of Ms. Ester's questions pertain principal:. to Public Seri ices agencies. Michael DeVaul added that it might be difficult for some of the agencies to provide the type of information requested. Aid. Rainey suggested that staff meet wt:h four or five grantees in a focus group and discuss Ms. Ester's list to see if it would be possible. for agencies to provide the kind of information she is seeking. Since no changes in l-arantee repk:,rting would be made before the next program year. staff could report its findings to the Commince before the beginning of the next funding cycle. V1. STAFF/CITIZE.N COMMENT Alexander Brown. North Shore Senior Center. con►ratulated the Committee on the 25th anniversary of the CDBG program and talked about some of the recent accomplishments of the Forth Shore Senior Center. He said that the Foster Strut office staff has been expanded to 22 employees and that an additional storefront office has been rented to accommodate additional space needs. Iv1s. Lutk-in asked Committee members to hold Thursdas. June I Oth. for the meeting on Section 8. She said that she and Roberta Schur are in :he process of putting, together a panel for the meeting to be composed of representab%es of Cook Count,, Housing Authority, the Leadership Council of Metropolitan Communities and possible a HUD representatise. Aid. Drummer said that at the Committee'; May meeting. a discussion will be held with members of the Minority Women's E%anston Busine-as Committee. He asked that Roger Crum. Judith Aiello and Bill Stafford be invited to discuss the Lit.'s eff'Orts toward strengthened 4t^V IEBE imoivement in Citv contracting and to report on progrc5s with the Church Street project. VI1. AWOURN.ME\T There being, no further business before the Committee. the meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m. L Date: Ma\ 7. 1999 k HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COINMUTTEE iiINUTES Tuesday, March 9, 1999 7:30 P.M. Meeting held at: Over the Rainbow Association's Hill Arboretum Apartments, 2040 Brown Avenue MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT STAFF PRESENT: OTHERS PRESENT: PRESIDING OFFICIAL: I. CALL TO ORDER Ald. Bernstein. Aid. Kent, AM. Rainey, Michael DeVaul, Judith Treadway Ald. Drummer„ Betty Sue Ester Sally Lufkin, Community Development Department Sally Kee, Leo Kirwan, John Camelot- Lynn Greene, Over the Rainbow Association; Donald Beather, Ferdinand Frost, Sherrill Frost - Brown Aid. Kent, Acting Chair The meeting was called to order by Aid. Kent at 7:40 p.m., a quorum being present. Aid. Kent announced that at the conclusion of the brief business meeting, the Committee would tour the facilities of Hili Arboretum Apartments. He welcomed Hill Arboretum residents and thanked Over the Rainbow Association for hosting the meeting. Aid. Kent also welcomed Dr. Alvin Keith. the Plain Commission's newly appointed liaison member to the Committee. IL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 9, 1999 MEETT.NG Aid. Rainey made a motion to approve the minutes of the February 9, 1999 meeting; motion seconded by Michael DeVaul. Motion carried, 5-0. III. COMMUNICATIONS A. Staff Memorandum re Acenc% .audits B. ,'Memorandum re Change in Agency Reporting Requirements C. Newspaper Articles 1. Welfare policies alter the face offood lines 2. Plunge in use of food stamps causes concern 3. Zero percent - Groups pledge of help Wien• gii,e no -down mortgages a larger audience k Housing and Community Development Act Committet Minutes - March 9, 1999 Page Two 4. Senior housing plan show's suhurl, 's eummitment to affor,iahle laying• S. Do we really have a right to hnusink ' 6. Living with a "livable wage" 7. Latest price gains boost averuize house to a lofty, S1-56,AN) 8. Fighting the odds - Public ahl rectp;ents S7RIVE to enter %vor place 9. Deal clinched for Howard theatre re,le•velopment The communications were accepted into the record br Aid. Drummer. IV. REQUEST FOR USE OF NEIGHBORHOOD BASED PL-BLIC IN PROVENfENT FUNDS TO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES OF THE SOUTHEAST EVANSTON CITIZENS PLANNING CONEMITTEE Sally Kee and Sherrill Frost -Brown discussed the request from the Southeast Evanston Citizens Planning Committee (CPC) to use S4.410 in Neighborhood Based Public improvement funds for operating expenses of the CPC for the period March 1 - September 1. 1999. his. Kee said that the CPC had done some comparison shopping to obtain price estimates for office supplies. She also pointed out that use of CDBG funds for rent and telephone would be cr)ntingent upon whether the CPC decides to rent office space and, therefore, would need to install a phone line. Ms. Frost -Brown added that currently CPC meetings arc held at St. Francis Hospital at no charge, but should office space be needed, then funds are included in the funding request for rent- telephone and purchase of office equipment, i.e.. desk, chair, file cabinets. Judith Treadway, addressing the Committee as a member of the CPC, said that three of the line items in the proposed budget are for professional services: S750 for upkeep of the database. S600 for word processing services and S 150 for translation services. ifs. Treadwa} avid that these estimates are based upon the market rate for these services. Aid. Rainey said that she was not in support of paying for professional services, i.e., database upkeep. word processing and translation services. She added that the S20 per hour budgeted for word processing services is more than many, people are paid %rho actual!•• do ,%ord processing. Aid. Rainey suggested that translation sen ices could be done by southeast Evanston community members instead of having to pay for those sen ices. ;old. Rainey said that the CPC is a %olunteer organization and that the heart of an organization is volunteerism. 'What makes an organization work is the time people are %%illinu to give to it and a an organization's success comes from its grass roots efforts. She said that the request for funding professional sen ices is out of place: it would not be appropriate for some members of the CPC to be paid for their sen ices .% hile other members volunteer their time. She added that it was, however, appropriate for office supplies, copying and postage to be paid out of the Neighborhood Based Public Improvement fund. X Housing and Communi:N Development :act Committer Minutes - March 9, lam Page Three Ms. Frost-Brovvn said that there has been and continues to be significant volunteer work on the CPC. However, she said that t�3e CPC wanted some funds available in the event it is not able to get all the volunteer services it m--,. need. Aid. Bernstein said char ae agreed with Aid. Rainey on not paying for professional services for the CPC. He discussed his experience of working with several community organizations, how they operated and how fundir-g for necessary expenses was handled. Aid. Bcrostein said that in addition to not paying for profes .onal services, he was not entire!; in support of paying for office supplies. However, he said that he would approve funding 16r these expenses, :tine. they had previously been paid by the City and E .anstan Neighborhood Conierenu:. Discussion continued about payment for professional sert-tces. Judith Treadway said that a problem could arise because some CPC members have been volunteering their time, resources and materials without compensation. If'some CPC members now started to be paid for their time and services, which had previously been done voluntarily, it could be detrimental to the morale of the entire CPC. Aid. Bernstein said that true compensation in a volunteer organization is not financial, but in satisfaction in the work being done for the good of the community. He said that most of the neighborhood organizations he was familiar with had someone volunteer to prepare agendas and minutes of meetings and put together flyers. Ms. Frost -Brown again urged the Committee to consider including some paid compensation in the CPC's proposed budget for the next six months in the event the CPC needs to utilize professional services in support of its activities. Aid. Rainey reiterated that she would support payment for postage, copying; and office supplies, as well as rent and office equipment, if needed, but could not support payment for professional sen•ices. Aid. Kent added that the needs for translation services provides the CPC with a wonderful opportunity to network with other grouts in the southeast Evanston community. :old. Rainey made a motion to approve $2.910 in Neighborhood Based Public Improvement Funds for administrati%e supper for the Southeast Evanston Ctttzuns Planning; Committee for the period March 1 - September 1. ! 999. The funding would support all proposed line item expenses except database upkeep. work processing and translation services. which %\ere eliminated from the CPC's proposed budget. The motion \%as seconded by Judith T'readx%ay. Notion carried, 6-0. V. REQUEST TO REALLOCATE S25,000 FROM THE 1999/2000 CURB AND SIDENVALK REPLACE.MEN'T PROGRAM TO THE 1999/2000 DAMS STREET PAVING PROJECT Sally Lufkin said that the City's Engineering Division had requested that the S25,000 allocated in FY 1999 2000 CDBG funds fora CDBG Target Area Curb Sidewalk Replacement program be used, instead. to supplement funding for the Davis Street Ila%Ing project. Engineering had requested S75.000 for the Davis Street Paving project, but was a»arded S50,000 and his. Lufkin said that Engineering had told her that the Davis Street project could not be done for less than S75,000. Ms. x Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - March 9. 1999 Page Four Lufkin said that Engineering had pointed out that usually there is a general fund allocation for curb/sidewalk replacement outside the CDBG Target Area and the two programs are bid as one project. However, funding for non -Target Area locations had not been included in the City's FY 1999/2000 budget. City Engineer Jim Tonkinson said that the $25,000 CDBG allocation would allow for approximately one block of curb and sidewalk to be replaced. He suggested that the Committee consider foregoing the Target Area Curb/Sidewalk Replacement program for 1999 and asked that the $25.000 allocation be reallocated to the Davis Street Paving project. AId. Rainey said that by reallocating the funds from the Curb/Sidewalk Replacement program to the Davis Street Paving project, the City would not be doing any curb/sidewalk replacement in the CDBG Target Area and she did not support elimination of this important program, even for just one year. She wondered whether any unused Motor Fuel Tax funds could be used for the Davis Street project- or alternative[,,-. to reallocated funds from the Target Area Alley Resurfacing program. Ms. Lufkin volunteered to investigate other possibilities for additional funding for the Davis Street Paving project and bring suggestions to the Committee at the next meeting. The Committee voted to hold this agenda item for continued discussion at the Committee's April 13th meeting. VI. 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CDBG PROGRAM Ms. Lufkin suggested that the Committee consider celebrating the 25th anniversary of the CDBG program by hosting a reception to which elected officials, grantees, community groups and HUD officials could be invited. She said that the Committee had hosted a vern• successful and well attended reception on the CDBG program's 15th anni, ersarc. Ms. Lufkin said that the National Community Development Association. of which the Cite is a member, has sponsored National Community Development Week for the past 12 years, and has set the week of March 29 - April 4, as National Community Development Week for this year However. this is also the week of Easter and Passover and she thought it could be difficult to hold a reception at that time. She asked the Committee for a suggested date. Judith Treadway said that she has had some discussion with Eitan Kushner, Executi-,a Director of the Evanston Community Media Center, about creating a video history of the CDBG program and that he "as interested in doing such a project. Aid. Kent suggested that in order to gi,-e Mr. Kushner time to develop the %ideo. the Committee should hold its reception during one of the summer months. June or Jule. It was the consensus of the Committee to hold the reception in Jule. VII. STAFF/CITIZEN COMMENT Ms. Lufkin said that the ordinance for publishing a notice of intent to sell 1817 Church Street had been introduced at the March 8th City Council meeting and would be on the agenda for approval at the Council's March 22nd meeting, rater that, a Notice of Intent would be published in the Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - March 9, 1999 Page Five Evanston Review and a recommendation would be made to the City Council at a future meeting. after the time required by City Code has expired. Sherrill Frost -Brown said that she had read, with interest., the Committee's minutes of its February 9th meeting at which there w-as discussion about holding a meeting to discuss the (HUD) Section 8 program. She wondered whether plans had been developed yet and also expressed her interest in participating in the discussion on Section 8. Ms. Frost -Brown added that she has been following Section 8 issues for some time and she discussed with the Committee a lawsuit filed by Wilmette Realty v. the City of Chicago over the definition of "source of income" and how some citiesicounties consider Section 8 a "source of income" while others do not and is effect on property owners' acceptance of Section 8 tenants. Ms. Frost -Brown said that she had several articles concerning Section 8 and would forward them to the Committee. Aid. Kent discussed how the idea of a meeting to discuss Section 8 came about and that various City committees, such as the CD Committee, Housing Conunission and the City Council's Planning & Development Committee had expressed an interest in holding a discussion on this matter. He said that staff has been asked to organize and develop the meeting in the coming months. John Camelot, a resident of Hill Arboretum, welcomed and thanked the Committee for visiting their facility. He distributed informational packets about Over the Rainbow Association and the Hill Arboretum apartments. VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m. Staff: L � Date: April 8.1999 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT COMMITTEE MINUTES Tuesday. February 9. 1999 7: 30 P.M. - Room 2403 F%anston Civic Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Aid, Drummer. Aid. Kent. Aid. Rainey. Michael DeVaul. Judith Treadway MEMBERS ABSENT: Aid. Bernstein. Betty Sue Ester STAFF PRESENT: Sally Lufkin. Community- Development Department OTHERS PRESENT: Karen Chavers. Mary E. Lane. Sally Kee. Annel O. Earle, Pauline L. Williams. Cordelia Burts. Clarence Burn. Dino Robinson, Sandi Johnson. Emma Harmon. ,Llamie Smith. Loretha Henn-. Bettye Palmer. Darlene Francellno PRESIDING OFFICIAL: Aid. Drummer. Chair 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 7:38 p.m., a quorum being present. I1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF DECEMBER 8, 1998 MEETING Michael DeVaul made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 8, 1998 meeting: "111tir1n 1. n�1n 1.,4� h. 1 !:th I f • ''. •- .. _.-riLA, J-U. III. COMMUNICATIONS A. 1998/99 Listing of Evanston United Way Allocations B. Copy of Letter Addressed to Mary Lane regarding future role of City's Community Development Department in Southeast Evanston C. City of Evanston Audit for FY 1997/98 Aid. Drummer commented that the City Council had already approved the FY 1997.98 audit. Aid. Rainey asked whether staff had ever received the audits noted in the auditor's comments. Nis. Lufkin said that she did not recall which audits were missing at the time of the audit, but would follow up and report back to the Committee. Aid. Rainey said that the Committee requires that audits be submitted by all grantees regardless of the grant amount. Ms. Lufkin said that most of the applicants for FY 1999/27000 CDBG funds submitted copies of their audits along with their applications. I lowing and Community Development .act Committee %linutes - Februar% 9. 1999 Pa,e 1F%►o D. 1499 2000 CDBG Program Spreadsheet showing allocations appro%ed by the Cit% Council on Januar% 11. 1999 F. \e%%s :Articles . .Making a dlfjerertc•r - partnerships _'. Scattered C[I.4 site.' - Hardl% 1. Xeighhnrhood it an of nt'tit czr,*: S,cr: c 4. Chic•ctgo boosting 1011-1.IWOP►U, urur% 5. Clintwi proposed HUD ln,, ge : Inge 6. EC.MC tie%%sletter - excerpt re tele%ising CDBG budget meetings 7. %Innplirrgfvr cWrszo restr7.'r�.: - Chicago Tribune 8. Supreme Court Ntres Cerzct,s Sampling - Nation's Cities Weekly 9. Romeoville - First-time horpi � �uiers in line for subsidies 10. Elmhurst - Upon rnremki: It itlr adi-ess teardowns F. HUD Office of Inter�_,o%ernmental Relations - lf[:D-s Proposed FY 21160 Budget. as requested b% President Clinton .all communications were accepted into the rcoird by Aid. Drummer. Aid. tent commented on the news article -Neighburh.,-od wary of new arrivals". He discussed the displacement of CHA (Chicago Housing Authorit} t Section 8 residents, suggesting that the Committee initiate a discussion with Paula Hanes and the Human Relations Commission and the Evanston Housing Commission to discuss Section S certificates and problems experienced by certificate holders and abuse of system b% some landlords. - Aid. Raines said that the real estate office %%here she %%orks in Lincolnwood has been receiving a number of calls from Section 8 certificate holders ,<eking apartment buildings. When told that property owners on the south side of Chicago %sere accepting Section 8 vouchers, the callers said that they were looking for apartments onl} in Evanston and Skokie. Aid. Rainey said that she is wary because in south Evanston is where most of the apartments are located which accept Section 8 vouchers, She said she believes that south Evanston %rill be the area where most Section 8 certificate holders will begin their search for apartments in Evanston. She said that landlords. who might be having trouble with tenants, may opt to accept Section 8 certificate holders because Section 8 is a source of stead%. guaranteed rent, thus forcing out others who have been living in the area for a long time. Aid. Rainey said that Section 8 is attracti%e to slum landlords. She wondered if the City Council could pass an ordinance stating that it was illegal to reject a tenant because of source of income. Discussion continued concerning; the legality of limiting the number of Section 8 certificates allowed in Evanston, forbidding landlords from concentrating Section 8 certificate holders in certain x rlcii:h-vrhoods. and et:ect - Section S certiticates tin propert% \allies, -Md. Drunimer cc>.•:lud.d the I ,c,,;•l�,ii b% 'hat ;taff rut toucther it joint mceting %%ith the 1=%anst,• H.:-_sing I Iunian R:::a!,,+n�, t i+1T1mi,sion. uIic IIatilos. state rt'p1Y>Cntati%C..11ILI ()tl1;' _.�.:Clss Se:r:,'n 8 in I %anstor. He -ecommended holding this meeting in the:omins! Months IV. PROPOSED C SE OF TIfE 1817 CHI'RCII STREET BUILDING A Staff n-wrnrrrandum fin 1}i%f,l),ition of Reach Esinte Purchased with CORG Funds B. Inlorrr_-%ion requetited fmm Vvanstun West ode Resident :association Aid. Kent distributed copie-, of the Proriosal for the De\elopment of 19 17 Church Street as a Black American l leritage Il.iuse and -1 echnoloeical Resource Center. a cop} of the bylaws of the Evanston West,ide Citizens I)ssirict C ouncil. and a cop} ofthe discussion paper. which had been handed out at the Contmittce's l i i meeting. Re=;Nnding to the Committee's request for additions? information about the proposal ar. the E%anston Wesbide Resident; Association. Ald. Kent said tha: the :tames of the officers of the \1 c>t>ide Residents Association appeared on Fate : of the proposal and the proposed operating bLJi et Nac listed on page 4 Ile read the oreanization's .\1i.sion Statement: "The Black American Hentaiae Houtie and Technolocical Resource Center %%ill be an econornic center of influence. a repositor% for the documentation of Evanston Black history as well as a research and resource net%%ork for the cultural affairs of Blacks." Aid. Kent said that the,. did not ha%e formal minutes of their meetings. but he did ha%c corking notes. and said that they would cart keeping minutes of their meetings. .Ald. Drummer suggested that the advisory board keep minutes «hick can he re%•ie%%ed and apnro%ed b% the board. so that a record can be established noting «hat has tran�plred in turning 'he idea fur a museum into realit%. :old. Kent said that the reason the Evanston Westside Residents :association %%a, before the Committee was to request that ownership of the 1817 Church Street building be transferred to the oruanization so that a museum of filack American history %could be established. to include a library on the second floor and a technolov% center with computers for users of the center. He said that the museum %%ould first be a repcisitor% for intcirmation about Black ,American history b+` -h %ithin and beyond Evanston. Ald. Kent referred to the proposed S 126.500 operating budget for the first year's start up costs and the two lists of improvements which %%ill need to be made to the building to make it usable- the list put together by an appraiser a number of years ago and the November 7, 1998 list compiled by Facilities Management. He said that the Facilities Management listing contains just %%hat is needed to brine the building up to code and operable. The appraiser's estimate was more extensive. Ald. Kent said that (Preservation Coordinator) Carlos Ruiz has looked into architects who have museum experience and had given him four names. lie said that. at this stage. there was onl% so much the advisory board could do until the% have ownership or control of a building site. Ilousing and CommLLnl:•. Detielopment .act Committee Minutes - 1=ebruar. y.: k:uer Pace Four Judith Tread%ea% a�ke,: %, Tether the Police Outpost %%OUId MUM TO Church `+tr.et ar.Z' e%ould the [Jul ice Department par icipate in the cost of reno%ation oI'the bulkitl. Kent r:sTX)nded that he :aid not kno%% %►het er tat Police Department %%ould he able to .ontr-'Nutt to the roost of reno%ation. but laid that , -Ir- A 'ALi3 iJttcre:,hd in returninu tip 1'S i ' t' ::zirch `trect. :did. Drummer iummar.z.d that. at this time. it is estimated that app -ommatel-, be needed to put 181- Crlurch Street into usable shape for occupanc% and that first %ear's ot'eratin€ expenses are e!�tlmate_ t+e S 126.000 Ald. bent pointed out that time of the start-up costs are one-time: expenses, suer, a.. the 550.000 consultant's fee. %%hich %%ould lr-;� used for hiring the museum architect. Consultant. Aid, Drummer asked Aid. Kent how funds %%ill be raised. Aid. Kent responded that extensl%e tundraJ-5ir.- and grant %-,rittnt will be initiated. The idvisory board also plans to include: the: neighborhood to the: project through donations of money and ser\ ices. Aid. Drummer discussed the experience he had with the Penn\ Park neighbors. e.ho received an initial CDBG grant from the City and then did extensive fundraising to bring the project about. He said that the experience brought the co;rmunit% together not onl% titir this project. but communit\ involvement continues to this da%. Ms. I read%ka% asked •%hether target dates or a time line had been established. Aid. Kent said that once the ad%isur} board has site control or ownership. it will in%Jte architects to give them suggestions and then can deN elop renovation and fundraising plans. Aid. Drummer asked -.%hat funding will be required of CDBG. Aid. Event said that they probably «ould request CDBG funds to renovate the building. but would raise operating funds from other sources. Aid. Drummer cautioned that the ad%isor\ board to not look solely to the Cite to make the proposed project a success :�aJ,. J.utkui discu7,scd t. ub(i program requirements ter disposition of real estate purchased with CDBG funds. She sal.: trivet as long as the future use of a propertm continues to meet one of the national objectives of the CDBO program (i.e.. benefiting primandy lose moderate income persons, eliminating conditions of slum or blight. or meeting an urgent need of the communin-l. it may be sold at less than fair market , alue. Should the budIng's use not meet one of the CDBG national objectBes. it must be sold at fair market %aloe. Proceeds tar the sale of CDBG purchased property are to return to the CDBG program as program income and then used for other eligible CDBG projects. Ms. Lutkin added that she bele,,es the proposed use: of 1817 Church Street %vill continue to benefit love moderate income residents and that the buildinu could be sold at less than fair market value. Aid. Drummer said that the Committee and Council will need targeted dates and time lines, even though the project is just in the planning process. It %%ill be important for the Council to understand the plan as fulls as possible. including plans for fund raising. He added that it would be helpful for the advisory board to de%elop some kind of program statement. with ideas about hot-,- the program x IIou:ine and Communit\ De\rlopment .act Committee \linutes - Fc;hruan Q. I aa.r Paize live \\ill \\ ork. Ald Raine\ a-lked about the process for selling .3 husl,itr.e Ms 1 ufktn :ti.i t'lat the prucvdure had Itik0 %tepN: reel\ lil, itrprO\ai Irorn It e l II\ l kIunctI of al klni,.lian,k t0 .'t the Uit\ Manager to place a notice of intent to sell to the local ne\\spa r and ne_goiLiate the sale the proper y: and then return to the Cit\ Council \\ith a recommendation Ald. Raine\ asked .Aid. Kent \\hat specifically the ad, isory board was :e`king from the Committee. He responded that first. the\ ',,.ere asking that the 1817 Church Street building be turned o\er to the f:\ansion Westside Residents Association. Then. the association \\ouid probable appi\ for CDBG funds for renovation, Ald. Drummer ,,aid that he thought the Committee could support a cape A impro\ ement request. but would be reluctant to support the operating budget. as it would be a public ser\ ices category expenditure and difficult for the Committee to provide ongoing support Vicar after \ear. Aid. Dent said that the ad\ isory board \\•as askine for the 1817 Church Street buildine and that should the Committee be satisfied . ith what the Fyanston Westside Residents .Association is planning to do with the building. then it \\ill uo to the City Council. .Aid. Kent added that he did not foresee that the City would have to continue to maintain the property once it was rehabbed and turned over the E\ansion Westside Residents .Association. Aid. Drummer commented that if the community vants an enterprise to happen, it will rally around it and support it. If the community can demonstrate to the City Council that it wants a project or program. then the Council \\ill support it and grant the request. .Aid. Kent assured the Committee that the corttmunit\ wants the Black .American Heritace House to come into existence. Judith Tread\\a\ made a motion to recommend to the Citv Council that the City Manager be authorized to negotiate the transfer of 1817 Church Street from the Cit% to the Evanston Wcstside Residents Association and to place a notice of intent to sell in the local newspaper. The motion was seconded h\ Aid. Rainey. Motion carried, 4-0, 1 abstention. V. STAFF/CITIZEti COMMENT Mar% lane and Sall, [wee. representing the Southeast Evanston Citizens Planning Comminee {CPC), discussed the need for funding support for the CPC for the next fe\\ months. its. Lane said that the CPC learned of the termination of administratiyelfacilitation support, which had been provided by Evanston Neighborhood Conference and the City's Planning Division. in January and the CPC requested that some funding he allocated during the period of transition from City.`ENC facilitation, to handling matters on their own. In response to a question from Aid. Drummer. Sally Lufkin said that the Planning Division has x Ho --;ink and C'ommunit\ Development \ t'onunittez' Minutes, - Februar\ 4. 1 P4.) Pale �i\ pro%:,'ed lac ilitation ;er\ices to southeast l % insion to., ipl1rk1\mi.i10-\ :' \ear, In .l�.jltior_ L ha3 :ontracied \►ith E\anston NeIAborho%\, Conference for add It.,, ;,I:It11.11It'll per\ Ices CPC Aid Drummer said that he thought no\\ \\as the trine 1iir the: CiV to be \%eaned ;corn adrnmistrati\ e facilitation support, as pro\ ided b\ the Cit\ and FNC Ms Kee said that ")e CPC did not 'Kno\\ ofthe chance in support until its lanuar\ meeting. \lichae' 7;\"aul said tha, he thought the Committee had discussed the change in administration facilitation -,cn ices at its `o\ ember 1998 meetinc. I le asked \\hether there were an\ funds a\ailable to fund 3".lsinistrati\e expenses o: tt„e CPC Ms, l.utkin said that there continues to be a line item in the CDBi_J Administration budort for "other professional ser\ ices" and that funds could be made a\ ailabie -1:th that budget or from the Nei,�hhorhood Based Public Impro\ement program. Ald. Rainev discussed her participation in the Southeast Evanston Citizens Planning Committee process over the past t\\o \ears and ho\\ e\cited she had been obscr\ inv the de\ elopment and empt�\yerment of the Committee and "hat it was doing. FEo\\e\er. e%c* the last six months, she said that dissention had come to the committee and had been undermining it. She said that there had been less of an effort to empower the committee and said that the group had broken into factions 1xith different agendas. She said she saw an un\\ illingness of the CPC to take control from the facilitators. Ald. Raine\ added that \\hen (Communin Development Director) Jim % olinski came to the CPC's January muting and discussed the change in ENC and City administrative support. the news %%as received like a death in the family. She discussed the organization of the Evanston Westside Residents Association. who made a request earlier in the meeting for Lse of the 1817 Church Street building. Ald. Rainey noted that the NVesiside Residents Association had put together a setof h, ' 11 �+.L � 11+ . ,+., . .•t i. . "l I'' 'l l'/'qf i. 1'} I h•.:1,1 I+. .. t, '!1,+\ C,o, S •1+�, .3:r opinion. the facilitation support provided to the CPC had been a ,it: nment because no one took control of the CPC from the facilitators and attempted to run the cor:'m, nee. nur did the CPC have to make such a nto\ e. Ald. Rainey stated that an alarm had gone the CPC came before the CD Committee and sho\\ed open dissention. She said that any !'under s reluctant to provide funds to an organization \\hich does not appear to he in agreement on its goal-, Ald. Rainev concluded her remarks by highlighting some of the achie\ ements elf the CPC o\ er the past four years, such as continued presence in the I fousing Court in Skokie. shov. ing the cour hrough their presence, their concern about delinquent buildings in southeast Evanston. Aid. Rainev said that it was appropriate for the CD Committee to pre,\ ide an expense budget for administrative expenses over the coming months, as the CPC does not have any income to support expenses. Ald. Drummer said that neighborhood organizations are the things \►hick made the CD Committee look good: the Committee would rather find solutions on a neighborhaod-wide scale. than just on Housing and Community Development Act Committee Minutes - Februan 9. 1999 Pace Seven house b% house basis. He said that the CD Committee %%ou.'d not abandon the CPC. Aid. Drummer suggested that the CAC put together a budget request for the coming months and return to the Committee's March meeting for the Committee's consider=rion and perhaps support. B,tt\c Palmer thanked the Committee for its suppor of the Westside Residents Association's request t��- the 1817 Church Street building. She invited the Committee to a slide presentation on west E-. anston. put together by Anne Earle. a member of the Black American Heritage House advisor} beard. and historian. The presentation ,.tiould take efface onl chruar-- 16. 1999 at Fleznaood/Jourdain C ommunitt Center. Michael DeVaul Suggested scheduling some time for the IN-113E. %VBE-TBE Committee at the CD Committee's rXpril or stay meetings. He said that the Committee hoped to have a new coordinator b% that time and �%ould have some things to report by that time. Sa:l\ Lufkin announced that 1999 was the 25th anni%ersary of the founding of the CDBG program anc suggested that the Committee consider hostine a reception to mark this event. '*Is. Lufkin said th.: National Community Development Week is the last week of %larch. but that the %keek was also the %%eek before Easter and might not be a good time to host a reception. Aid. Drummer suggested do.rig something in conjunction with the City Council would be appropriate. He also suggested bringing in the Evanston community television. %Is. Lufkin said she thought that perhaps a reception could be held before the Committee's April 13th meeting. She said that she would discuss proposals at the next meeting. V11. ADJOURNMENT The-;! heine no further bw;iner,� before the Starr. r Date March 5. 1999