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FY 2018 Year 35 CAPERCAPER 1 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-05 - Goals and Outcomes Progress the jurisdiction has made in carrying out its strategic plan and its action plan. 91.520(a) This could be an overview that includes major initiatives and highlights that were proposed and executed throughout the program year. The City of Northampton's Community Development Block Grant Program carried out it's 35th year of operation from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Through a variety of sub-recipient grantee activities, Northampton residents with low and moderate incomes benefited from services that contributed to their health and well being. Additionally, because the City updated it's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Plan, entitled " Unlocking Opportunity - An Assessment of Barriers to Fair Housing in Northampton" during this time period, citizen outreach efforts and input was vastly increased. Brainstorming sessions with a myriad of community stakeholders, focus groups with people with lived experience, public hearings and meetings with hard working City boards and committees, were all efforts that contributed to a year full of valuable idea exchanges and dialogue. The Valley Community Development Corporation opened the doors of the Lumber Yard Apartments, welcoming 55 families to affordable living in Northampton, during which time they also began renovating the Sergeant House SRO (31 SRO units: 16 new) on Bridge Street. Valley also partnered with The Community Builders to put forth funding applications for 65 affordable rental units at Village Hill and Dial/Self moved ahead on the final construction of 4 units for unaccompanied homeless youth (total 8). Homeowners continued to participate in the City's Housing Rehabilitation Program to remediate code violations. Habitat for Humanity finished the final home in the Verona/Garfield neighborhood, as well as launching construction of 4 additional Habitat homes on Glendale Road. Assistance was provided to those seeking small business development skills, and handicap accessibility was enhanced at a former school building that houses Community Action's Head Start program. Down payment assistance grants were provided to eligible applicants able to find and purchase homes in the City. 13 public service agencies were supported, including the two emergency shelters for those experiencing homelessness. For a small program, it packs a big punch annually, impacting a variety of aspects of community development. The Mayor's Office was honored to have partnered with so many amazing people and organizations as they worked to accomplish so much this past year and every year. Comparison of the proposed versus actual outcomes for each outcome measure submitted with the consolidated plan and CAPER 2 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) explain, if applicable, why progress was not made toward meeting goals and objectives. 91.520(g) Categories, priority levels, funding sources and amounts, outcomes/objectives, goal outcome indicators, units of measure, targets, actual outcomes/outputs, and percentage completed for each of the grantee’s program year goals. Goal Category Source / Amount Indicator Unit of Measure Expect ed – Strateg ic Plan Actual – Strateg ic Plan Percent Comple te Expect ed – Progra m Year Actual – Progra m Year Percent Comple te Addressing Basic Needs Non-Housing Community Development CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 15000 16151 107.67 % 3000 4693 156.43 % Addressing Basic Needs Non-Housing Community Development CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities for Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Househol ds Assisted 0 0 CAPER 3 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Addressing Basic Needs Non-Housing Community Development CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeless Person Overnight Shelter Persons Assisted 0 0 Affordable Homeownership for Families Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 0 0 Affordable Homeownership for Families Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeowner Housing Added Househol d Housing Unit 14 0 0.00%5 0 0.00% CAPER 4 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Affordable Homeownership for Families Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 0 0 Affordable Homeownership for Families Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Direct Financial Assistance to Homebuyers Househol ds Assisted 15 11 73.33%5 2 40.00% Affordable Homeownership for Families Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Buildings Demolished Buildings 0 0 0 0 CAPER 5 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 175 1184 676.57 % 700 423 60.43% Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities for Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Househol ds Assisted 0 0 Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Facade treatment/business building rehabilitation Business 0 0 0 0 CAPER 6 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Jobs created/retained Jobs 25 45 180.00 % 10 10 100.00 % Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization Economic Development/Inc ome Maximization CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Businesses assisted Businesse s Assisted 50 80 160.00 % 15 23 153.33 % Elimination of Slums and Blight Elimination of Slums and Blight CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Rental units constructed Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 CAPER 7 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Elimination of Slums and Blight Elimination of Slums and Blight CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Buildings Demolished Buildings 1 0 0.00%1 0 0.00% Homelessness Prevention Homeless Non-Homeless Special Needs CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 0 0 Homelessness Prevention Homeless Non-Homeless Special Needs CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homelessness Prevention Persons Assisted 550 1018 185.09 % 0 0 CAPER 8 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Homelessness Prevention Homeless Non-Homeless Special Needs CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ HIV/AIDS Housing Operations Househol d Housing Unit 22 22 100.00 % Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Rental units constructed Househol d Housing Unit 17 102 600.00 % 0 0 Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Rental units rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 0 0 CAPER 9 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeowner Housing Added Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 0 0 Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 0 0 Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Housing for Homeless added Househol d Housing Unit 8 8 100.00 % 8 4 50.00% CAPER 10 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Housing for People with HIV/AIDS added Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 0 0 Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ HIV/AIDS Housing Operations Househol d Housing Unit 22 22 100.00 % 22 22 100.00 % Housing for At- Risk and Special Needs Populations Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Buildings Demolished Buildings 1 0 0.00% CAPER 11 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Housing Rehabilitation Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 20 10 50.00%6 4 66.67% Housing Support Services Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / CPA: $ Public service activities for Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Househol ds Assisted 0 0 Housing Support Services Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / CPA: $ Homelessness Prevention Persons Assisted 200 243 121.50 % 45 153 340.00 % Improvement of Public Facilities Non-Housing Community Development CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public Facility or Infrastructure Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 2040 8312 407.45 % 1500 3075 205.00 % CAPER 12 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Improvement of Public Infrastructure Non-Housing Community Development CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public Facility or Infrastructure Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 1500 1500 100.00 % Improvement of Public Infrastructure Non-Housing Community Development CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public Facility or Infrastructure Activities for Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Househol ds Assisted 1400 1400 100.00 % Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Public Facility or Infrastructure Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Public Facility or Infrastructure Activities for Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Househol ds Assisted 0 0 CAPER 13 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Public service activities for Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Househol ds Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Facade treatment/business building rehabilitation Business 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Brownfield acres remediated Acre 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Rental units constructed Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Rental units rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Homeowner Housing Added Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 CAPER 14 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Direct Financial Assistance to Homebuyers Househol ds Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Tenant-based rental assistance / Rapid Rehousing Househol ds Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Homeless Person Overnight Shelter Persons Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Overnight/Emergenc y Shelter/Transitional Housing Beds added Beds 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Homelessness Prevention Persons Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Jobs created/retained Jobs 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Businesses assisted Businesse s Assisted 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Housing for Homeless added Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 CAPER 15 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Housing for People with HIV/AIDS added Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $HIV/AIDS Housing Operations Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Buildings Demolished Buildings 1 0 0.00% Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $ Housing Code Enforcement/Forecl osed Property Care Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 Planning and Administration Program Administration CDBG: $Other Other 14500 0 84750 58.45%4200 25757 613.26 % Preservation of Existing Affordable Rental Stock Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Rental units rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 15 0 0.00% CAPER 16 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Preservation of Existing Affordable Rental Stock Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homelessness Prevention Persons Assisted 1521 1521 100.00 % Preservation of Existing Affordable Rental Stock Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Other Other 0 0 Rental Housing for Families Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Rental units constructed Househol d Housing Unit 58 58 100.00 % 55 55 100.00 % CAPER 17 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Rental Housing for Individuals Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ Rental units constructed Househol d Housing Unit 28 28 100.00 % 86 0 0.00% Rental Housing for Individuals Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ Rental units rehabilitated Househol d Housing Unit 0 0 16 0 0.00% Rental Housing for Individuals Affordable Housing CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ Housing for Homeless added Househol d Housing Unit 22 0 0.00% Support for Emergency Shelter System Homeless CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit Persons Assisted 0 298 0 298 CAPER 18 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Support for Emergency Shelter System Homeless CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Homeless Person Overnight Shelter Persons Assisted 1400 911 65.07%300 298 99.33% Support for Emergency Shelter System Homeless CDBG: $ / Continuu m of Care: $ / CPA: $ / ESG: $ / HOPWA: $ Overnight/Emergenc y Shelter/Transitional Housing Beds added Beds 0 0 0 0 Table 1 - Accomplishments – Program Year & Strategic Plan to Date Assess how the jurisdiction’s use of funds, particularly CDBG, addresses the priorities and specific objectives identified in the plan, giving special attention to the highest priority activities identified. The City's use of CDBG funding continued to address a variety of community development components. Creating affordable housing and providing housing support services were a focus this past year as the City continued to fund and advocate for those resources. With the recent completion of LIVE 155, which added 70 units, 48 of which are affordable and the opening of 55 new units at the Lumber Yard Apartments this spring, 125 new apartments were created in the downtown. The first floor businesses add vibrancy to the entrance corridor and the residents bring vitality to the commercial district. Dial Self is completing the second phase of their 8 unit development for unaccompanied homeless CAPER 19 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) youth, Valley CDC is moving ahead with projects that will create more rental units. What we do not have in the inventory is Safe Havens and Housing First units and city staff is working with the Department of Mental Health to address this high priority need. CDBG funds were used to support the housing projects, the emergency shelter system, and address basic needs such as food security and housing stabilization services. CDBG funds were allocated to a cross section of eligible activity areas, timeliness deadlines for expenditures were met and agencies successfully carried out their scopes of services. CAPER 20 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-10 - Racial and Ethnic composition of families assisted Describe the families assisted (including the racial and ethnic status of families assisted). 91.520(a) CDBG White 7,045 Black or African American 695 Asian 316 American Indian or American Native 40 Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 Total 8,096 Hispanic 1,509 Not Hispanic 6,587 Table 2 – Table of assistance to racial and ethnic populations by source of funds Narrative The above table does not include the following racial and ethnic compositions: American Indian or Alaskan Native/White; Asian/White; Black African-American/White; American Indian/Alaskan Native/ Black African-American; Asian/Pacific Islander; and other multi-racial categories. These compositions comprised an additional 769 individuals of whom 178 were of Hispanic ethnicity. In total, 8,864 people benefitted from services funded in this program year, 1,509 of whom identified as Hispanic. The recently completed update to the City's Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, entitled " Unlocking Opportunity - An Assessment of Housing Choice in Northampton" provides extensive data regarding ethnic and racial demographic information and analysis. Funded by the City, the project was overseen by the Northampton Housing Partnership with consultant services provided by the Pioneer Valley Regional Planning Commission. Extensive outreach was undertaken. This analysis will be compared to the CDBG program participant descriptions and outreach methodologies and program designs will be examined to insure CDBG resources are reaching those most in need of them. CAPER 21 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-15 - Resources and Investments 91.520(a) Identify the resources made available Source of Funds Source Resources Made Available Amount Expended During Program Year CDBG public - federal 1,044,312 555,903 Continuum of Care public - federal 334,210 334,210 Other public - federal 225,000 225,000 Table 3 - Resources Made Available Narrative The "other" category is composed of Community Preservation Committee funding awards, which are locally generated tax dollars allocated to projects. Eligible project categories include recreation, historic preservation, affordable housing and open space. During this last program year, the Dial/Self Teen Housing Program was awarded $75,000 and the Village Hill Affordable Housing Project was awarded $150,000. Identify the geographic distribution and location of investments Target Area Planned Percentage of Allocation Actual Percentage of Allocation Narrative Description No geographic Priorities Designated 100 Programs are delivered city wide or in specific project locations. Table 4 – Identify the geographic distribution and location of investments Narrative The City has not designated any HUD defined target areas. All public service activities, as well as the Housing Rehab program, First Time Homebuyer program and Micro-Business assistance programs are available to all income eligible Northampton residents city-wide. CAPER 22 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Leveraging Explain how federal funds leveraged additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements were satisfied, as well as how any publicly owned land or property located within the jurisdiction that were used to address the needs identified in the plan. CDBG allocations for public services are very small amounts, compared to the overall agency budgets for the participating organizations. Awards range from $3,000 - $11,000. In most cases, agencies use their CDBG award to indicate City support in order to leverage larger funding awards from other entities. The Dial/Self Teen Housing Program leveraged $65,000 of CDBG funding and $275,000 CPC funding to secure $200,000+ from private foundations and over $500,000 of private donations raised through a capital campaign. An additional foundation request will be made to get them over the finish line. The Valley Community Development Micro-Business Assistance Program received $5,000 from the Florence Savings Bank, $20,000 from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation and $5,000 from Cap 1. The $150,000 dollar CDBG commitment for the Sergeant House SRO renovation and expansion leveraged $6,300,000 comprised of $4,875,525 of Low Income Housing Tax Credit equity, $200,000 from the MA Affordable Housing Trust fund, $485,000 from the MA Housing Innovations Fund, $603,235 fromt the MA HIF 1 and HIF 111 Subordinate debt programs, $239,000 from the Consolidated Facilities Fund for the Department of Mental Health units, $500,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, $350,000 from the local Community Preservation Committee and $15,000 from a Kuehn Grant. Both LIVE 155 and the Lumber Yard Apartments were twenty million dollar projects that utilized a variety of State funding sources as well as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program. Smith College also made a contribution to the Lumber Yard project, as part of a development agreement made years ago when Smith removed market rate affordable housing from the community for campus expansion. The land that Habitat for Humanity just completed their 5th home on in the Verona Garfield neighborhood, was land donated by the City, as is the current project under construction on Glendale Road. The City has successfully partnered with Habitat on several limited development projects over the years. There are plans to continue to do so in the future, on Laurel Street and Burts Pit Road, if the City can secure ownership of these two parcels from the State. CAPER 23 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 24 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-20 - Affordable Housing 91.520(b) Evaluation of the jurisdiction's progress in providing affordable housing, including the number and types of families served, the number of extremely low-income, low-income, moderate-income, and middle-income persons served. One-Year Goal Actual Number of Homeless households to be provided affordable housing units 14 14 Number of Non-Homeless households to be provided affordable housing units 115 115 Number of Special-Needs households to be provided affordable housing units 20 20 Total 149 149 Table 11 – Number of Households One-Year Goal Actual Number of households supported through Rental Assistance 1,780 1,780 Number of households supported through The Production of New Units 146 130 Number of households supported through Rehab of Existing Units 18 3 Number of households supported through Acquisition of Existing Units 8 4 Total 1,952 1,917 Table 12 – Number of Households Supported Discuss the difference between goals and outcomes and problems encountered in meeting these goals. This category continues to be confusing. The chart asks for the number of households to be supported, however, when it prints out, it asks for number of households to be provided affordable housing. These are two completely different tabulations.The chart has been been filled out to show the number of housing units provided, not the numbers served. The number 14 indicates the 5 units at LIVE 155 and the 5 units at the Lumber Yard apartments set aside for homeless and the first 4 units at Dial/Self's Northampton Teen Housing Project. The number of non-homeless households (115) is the total of the CAPER 25 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) 70 units at Live 155, minus the 5 setaside for formerly homess (65) added to the 55 units at the Lumber Yard Apartments minus the 5 units setaside for formerly homeless (50). Data on housing placements for the 17 emergency shelter beds operated by Soldier On, at the Veterans Administration campus, is not available. The number of households with special needs is an estimate, as the State does not release information on residential programming through either the Department of Development Services, or the Department of Mental Health. The number of households being supported with rental assistance is the total number of Housing Choice Vouchers, Mass Rental Vouchers and VASH vouchers administered by the Northampton Housing Authority. The production of new units number includes the 70 units at LIVE 155, the 55 units at the Lumber Yard Apartments, the 4 Dial/Self units and one home completed by Habitat for Humanity at the Verona Garfield Site. The difference between the 146 and the 130 number reflects the 16 units at the Sergeant House/ 82 Bridge Street SRO not being completed yet (spring 2020). The rehab of existing units goal reflected the 15 units in the existing SRO at 82 Bridge, and 3 housing rehab program participants. The number for units to be acquired are the 4 newly constructed Dial /Self units, which will not be complete until late fall 2019, and the 4 home sites Habitat is creating at Glendale Road, none of which were brought on line during this time period, although all aquisition activities have been completed. Discuss how these outcomes will impact future annual action plans. All projects included in this year's Action Plan have been completed or are fully underway. Valley CDC continued to provide downpayment assistance grants to eligible households, the remaining tenants living at 82 Bridge Street were successfully relocated prior to the construction launch, the Village Hill North project proponents submitted their applications for State funding, the Housing Rehabilitation Program continued to serve single family homeowners with remediation of code violations and lead paint abatement, the Vernon Street School accessibility project was brought to successful completion, small business assistance and workshops were provided to entrepreneurs with low incomes and 13 social service agencies provided a myriad of programming to hundreds of residents facing challenges in our community. A comprehensive work plan scope that will impact future annual action plans has been articulated in the Impediments to Fair Housing update that has just completed. This work plan will greatly inform the 5 Year Consolidated Planning process that will be undertaken in this next program year (2020-2025). Current projects will come to fruition and others will be added to the pipeline. There will be a strong emphasis, however, on increasing housing and support services for women, and creating true Housing First housing units and Safe Havens residences, to serve those unable to access more mainstream affordable housing. Include the number of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income persons served by each activity where information on income by family size is required to determine CAPER 26 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) the eligibility of the activity. Number of Households Served CDBG Actual HOME Actual Extremely Low-income 3,682 0 Low-income 4,572 0 Moderate-income 462 0 Total 8,716 0 Table 13 – Number of Households Served Narrative Information The number above indicates income levels for all races but does not include 48 households that were counted as not being households with low/moderate incomes. In total 8,864 households benefitted from CDBG project funding this past year. CAPER 27 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-25 - Homeless and Other Special Needs 91.220(d, e); 91.320(d, e); 91.520(c) Evaluate the jurisdiction’s progress in meeting its specific objectives for reducing and ending homelessness through: Reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their individual needs The City continued to work closely with Eliot Homeless Services. The Eliot Street Outreach Clinician, Brendan Plante attended monthly meetings of the Next Step Collaborative and reported regularly on the number and needs of people living outside (10-30 people at any given time). The City implemented a new protocol for addressing encampments which worked smoothly through the spring and summer. As people were identified, either through agencies, private parties or other City departments, the Outreach Team was notified and dispatched. Depending on the description of the folks camping, Dial/Self or ServiceNet, or Tapestry Health would join the outreach effort. People were connected with services where possible, and given ample warning if they needed to relocate, to avoid loss of personal items. Dial/Self staff, serving unaccompanied homeless youth, visited meal sites and shelters and were actively engaged in locating youth and young adults to become the first residents of the Northampton Teen Housing Program. When the first four rehabilitated units came on line, the units were filled and celebrated greatly as a needed addition to our local service delivery system. The numbers of people living outside remained relatively stable this year. A Mayor's Report on Serving Populations at Risk, notes successful models operating in other parts of the country, where Outreach workers are able to immediately house those they engage, in units! Street outreach is hugely successful when units are immediately available. The City will work towards creating a system that allows that kind of movement after engagement, although it will be difficult to identify funders and developers. Most folks living outside are often couples who don't want to be separated in shelter, or people with pets that shelters won't accommodate, or are actively using substances and/or suffering with mental health challenges, so we are aware not everyone will engage or seek services simply because we want them to. The City will focus on creating low threshold housing and low barrier shelter wherever possible. Those operational paradigm shifts were introduced directly to Pioneer Valley housing and shelter providers through a training offered by the Western Mass Network to End Homelessness, conducted by OrgCode and Ian Dejong. ServiceNet staff are actively examining this approach for inclusion into their shelter program operations. The Hampshire County Resource Center continued to provide case managment services, laundry and shower facilities, emergency food, health care through Health Care for the Homeless and benefits assistance, throughout the year. CAPER 28 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons The 3 County Continuum of Care Collaborative Applicant role transitioned from the Hilltown CDC to Community Action of Pioneer Valley. The Community Action Executive Director, Clare Higgins, was the Mayor of Northampton for 12 of the 16 years the City served as the CoC lead. The 3 County CoC is comprised of Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire Counties and is primarily rural in nature. The Coordinated Entry system, mandated by HUD to serve the most vulnerable of the chronically homeless was not completely operational this past year, due to inadequacies in the data collection system. Intake and rankings occurred, but formulating the actual list was done manually. Community Action is researching data warehouses and companies to create a more user friendly system. Moving the most vulnerable through a system, however, only works when housing exists to refer people to, so the City will focus on creating Housing First units moving forward. With 400+ applications for Live 155 and the Lumber Yard Apartments respectively and with the majority being for the 30% and below area median income units, we have a lot of ground to cover, locally, regionally and nationally to make up for the production gaps that have created this crisis. REACH meetings have morphed into Coordinated Entry meetings, and the relevant service providers met weekly throughout the year to identify the most vulnerable of their clients and worked hard to find housing placements for them. The City continued to support both shelters for individuals with CDBG funding. The CDBG Director is a long standing member of the Cot Management Committee that oversaw the volunteer components of the Inter-Faith Shelter operation and collected personal hygiene supplies for the shelters throughout the year. She facilitated the Next Step Collaborative, a monthly gathering of housing and shelter service providers that has been meeting since 1994 to identify and address gaps in the local service delivery system, and served as a Co-Chair of the Western Mass Network to End Homelessness, which she helped create a decade ago. There was a fear that the Amherst Winter Shelter - Craig's Doors would not open this fall which would have had a huge impact on our local system, but the Board of Directors there secured a funding line with the help of the Western Mass. state legislators, will be hiring staff and the Program is scheduled to open on time - November 1. The two programs coordinated efforts this past year, with sending guests back and forth as bed capacity dictated. The Annex in Easthampton, which provided 6 overflow beds nightly from the Northampton Inter-Faith Shelter operated smoothly with a dedicated team of volunteers in that community. Many of the same folks spend time in Amherst and Northampton, so Eliot Homeless Services Outreach staff work very closely together as well. HUD funding is focused on permanent supportive housing. As a result, shelters have a difficult time identifying sufficient resources to support more than minimal staffing coverage, or property improvements or amenities. Multiple funding applications, soliciting private donations and CAPER 29 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) securing volunteer support are the necessary operational components; which take inordinate amounts of staff time to produce and coordinate. Tapestry Health Systems, Eliot Homeless Services, ServiceNet, Inc. the Northampton Police Department, Forbes Library, Friends of Hampshire County Homeless, MANNA, together with others, all worked diligently together this past year to identify, engage and serve those people most at risk in Northampton, to the best of our abilities. A focus group held at the Hampshire County Resource Center with currently homeless people, helped inform the recommendations in the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing update. Helping low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-income individuals and families and those who are: likely to become homeless after being discharged from publicly funded institutions and systems of care (such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, foster care and other youth facilities, and corrections programs and institutions); and, receiving assistance from public or private agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education, or youth needs Soldier On continued to pick up and transport Veteran's being discharged from the Hampshire County House of Corrections who chose to go and did not have other housing options. The Jail continued their monthly round table sessions with local law enforcement and service providers to identify paths for people prior to release. Social workers from the local hospital attend Next Step Collaborative meetings to network with housing and shelter providers in order to avoid discharging patients into homelessness. The Department of Mental Health began discussions about creating Safe Havens Models in the community in order to house those not able to navigate traditional housing placements. DMH staff facilitate quarterly meetings with the Northampton Police Department to implement Jail Diversion Intervention strategies and identify clients at risk on the streets or living outside. ServiceNet's Hampshire County Resource Center continued to operate daily, providing office space for the Benefits Analyst, a medical exam room for Health Care for the Homeless doctors and nurses and case management staff to link people with housing and services. Efforts continued to have Way Finders staff located locally to take RAFT applications, so clients don't have to travel to Springfield. Local Community Preservation Committee funds continued to support the administration of the Community Housing Support Services Program to preserve tenancies for households facing eviction. Helping homeless persons (especially chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their CAPER 30 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) families, and unaccompanied youth) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living, including shortening the period of time that individuals and families experience homelessness, facilitating access for homeless individuals and families to affordable housing units, and preventing individuals and families who were recently homeless from becoming homeless again The Hampshire County Resource Center, located at 43 Center Street, continued to serve as the entry portal for people finding themselves homeless to access case management. Our street outreach team, as well as the Police Department and other providers regularly refer people there for assistance. With showers, laundry, food and health care available, it is hoped people will opt to engage with a case worker and plot a path towards improving their quality of life. The Resource Center has a small staff and no true dedicated funding source, but through a combination of grant sources, ServiceNet is able to sustain the program. The staff works hard to "meet people where they are" and link folks to resources wherever possible. There is no family emergency shelter in Northampton, but the Center for Human Development operates Jessie's House in Amherst where families are served. Soldier On has case management and a comprehensive service delivery system to serve men and women Veterans. They operate emergency shelter beds, transitional housing, permanent supported housing and home ownership opportunities, as well as accessing mental health and general health care from the Veteran's Administration Medical Campus, where the housing is located. Soldier On has programs throughout Western Mass (Agawam, Chicopee, Pittsfield) and New York and provides technical assistance across the country to other organizations striving to develop similar systems of care. Dial/Self serves unaccompanied homeless youth in the Franklin/Hampshire county region. The new units of supported housing for youth in Northampton provide the first units for youth in Hampshire County. Serving this population fulfills a long term goal of the City, and addresses a high priority need, as assistance for this age group (18-24) is imperative in order to reduce episodes of adult homelessness. Shortening lengths of stay in shelter is totally dependent on the availability of housing units for people to access. The City moved the discussion forward regarding creating Housing First units and Safe Havens units in the community. More work will occur in the coming year to introduce low threshold housing. The City continued to support the Community Legal Aid Homelessness Prevention Program, the Community Housing Support Services Program and the SRO Outreach Project, to keep people sustainably housed. CAPER 31 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Homelessness prevention is a high priority activity area for the City. Once a household loses a rental subsidy, it is very difficult for them to re- secure housing stability. Impacting homelessness "upstream" is a goal of the Continuum of Care, as well as the overall Western Mass Network to End Homelessness. The State's RAFT program and Rapid Re-Housing funds are critical for keeping people housed, or getting them rehoused as quickly as possible. The Hampshire County Resource Center housed 6 chronically homeless individuals during the early spring when Rapid Re- housing dollars were available. The availability of those funds, with as much flexible utilization as possible, are key to moving people out of shelter and keeping people housed. The City continued to support prevention activities by providing CDBG funding to the Community Legal Aid Program and the Single Room Occupancy Outreach Project. CLA provides free legal assistance to families and individuals with low incomes, who are facing eviction in Housing Court. With mediation efforts, the majority of tenancies are preserved. With more than half of the households presenting in Court already residing in rent assisted units, the issues revolve around life skills, financial literacy and CAPER 32 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-30 - Public Housing 91.220(h); 91.320(j) Actions taken to address the needs of public housing The Northampton Housing Authority accomplished much during this program year. A Resident Services Coordinator was hired who will oversee both family developments. This is a wonderful achievement and has been a request of City staff for several years. There had been a Coordinator for the Federal developments, but having one person work with both family complexes will bode well for organizing activities at both sites. Hampshire Heights tenants were actively engaging Healthy Hampshire and GrowFood Northampton to bring fresh produce to the site and implemented a grant that installed raised community garden beds for the residents to grow their own food. The informal tenant organizer, a former resident, is a member of the Northampton Housing Partnership and he worked tirelessly to gain formal recognition of the Tenants Association and bring resident concerns to the forefront. The Housing Partnership plans on pursuing grant sources to create play space. CDBG and Community Preservation funds will be examined to accomplish this in the current program year (2019-2020). There were some changes in the composition of the Northampton Housing Authority Board of Commissioners this past year. New members are working on defining and instituting clearer roles and responsibilities for Board members and staff. Capital improvements planned for this year were addressed. The NHA applied, along with the Franklin County Regional Housing Authority, the Greenfield Housing Authority and the Amherst Housing Authority to HUD for 811 Mainstream Vouchers, which can be used by non-elderly disabled people, which include chronically homeless people. This effort was orchestrated by the Western Mass Network to End Homelessness and followed up on by the Three County Continuum of Care. We look forward to the award announcements. If all Housing Authorities receive the vouchers, that will be 45 additional vouchers to be used to help folks leave the emergency shelter system. The Housing Authorities will utilize the Coordinated Entry list and preference will be given to those highest on the list. Actions taken to encourage public housing residents to become more involved in management and participate in homeownership The Northampton Housing Authority's Board of Commissioners has always had tenant representation. Typicallly, they have been male residents of one of the complexes located downtown. During this past year, a female single parent residing in Hampshire Heights (one of the two family housing developments, and not located downtown) joined the Board. She is working closely with another member ( a retired Legal Aid attorney) to frame policies and by-laws for the Board. This is an exciting mentoring opportunity that all are embracing. With an engaged Resident Services Coordinator, additional programming and events will most assuredly create offerings at the sites to enhance financial literacy and income CAPER 33 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) maximization that could lead to homeownership opportunities. Actions taken to provide assistance to troubled PHAs The Northampton Housing Authority is not designated as troubled. However, the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing did conclude that the Housing Authority's local preference (for tenant selection) is a deterrent to housing mobility from other parts of the region into Northampton. This, and other notations, such as no information available on line (no web-site) will be subjects of discussion moving forward. However, the NHA has taken great strides towards becoming a more collaborative community partner in this last program year, and will be implementing handicap accessibility improvements with City CDBG funding at three of their properties during 2019-2020. CAPER 34 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-35 - Other Actions 91.220(j)-(k); 91.320(i)-(j) Actions taken to remove or ameliorate the negative effects of public policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing such as land use controls, tax policies affecting land, zoning ordinances, building codes, fees and charges, growth limitations, and policies affecting the return on residential investment. 91.220 (j); 91.320 (i) The Impediments to Fair Housing Report noted that when analyzing Northampton's current zoning with respect to best practices nationwide to promote mixed use, affordable housing and housing choice, the city is doing everything it should. The City is: encouraging higher density development by promoting infill, using Transfer of Development Rights, permitting small lot residential development, encouraging mixed use developments by allowing housing in all districts and some industrial districts, permitting live/work units, and is working to increase housing diversity and affordability by allowing accessory dwelling units in all zones and providing density incentives for affordability. The City has established two Smart Growth Overlay or 40R districts, which require an affordability component. Following recommendations made in earlier AI's the City now permits up to 6 units by right with site plan review, allows two family structures by right, has simple standards for larger multi- family structures, requires no traffic mitigation or parking for residential construction downtown, allows mixed use housing by right with site plan review and doubled and in some cases tripled the density allowed in some zones within the urban core. By reducing lot size throughout the City, to better reflect existing development patterns, possibilities for 2-3 unit dwellings is increased. Much attention has been given, by the City's Office of Planning and Sustainability and Habitat Humanity, to the design of smaller homes. Design competitions by the City, and a community engagement process undertaken by Habitat, entitled Just Big Enough, have spurred design solutions for the limited development projects initiated by the City. Northampton also instituted a Senior Citizen and Veteran Tax Work Off Program to increase the chances that participants can afford to remain in their homes. Actions taken to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs. 91.220(k); 91.320(j) The recently completed Impediments to Fair Housing Analysis provides a scope of work that will stretch several years to address. A copy is attached. During the past year in order to solicit citizen participation to form the work scope, the City Housing Partnership and it's consultants from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission met with 38 different stakeholders representing different groups, conducted 4 additional focus groups with people with lived experience and held a public forum attended by 65 interested citizens. The list of stakeholder and focus group participants is included as an attachment behind the Analysis of Impediments Action Plan. In addition to the extensive public outreach to better understand the needs of underserved people experiencing challenges in our community, as CAPER 35 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) well as examining current demographic trends, the City continued to participate in the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness, attended Network Committee meetings addressing individual homelessness, family homelessness, and the committee on unaccompanied homeless youth, attended Three County Continuum of Care meetings, provided staff support to the Northampton Housing Partnership and the Next Step Collaborative. The CDBG Director also worked with the Mayor's Work Group on compiling a research report on serving populations at risk in Northampton. This effort comprised extensive survey work to better understand perceptions of downtown activity by the general public, as well as people engaged in street activity, such as panhandling, in the downtown. The report will be released in early October (2019). The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, in addition to the Mayor's Work group report both contain many recommendations that will inform the City's work moving forward to address challenges people face that are within our control to ameliorate. HUD program representatives, as well as interested citizens, are encouraged to reference these documents for more detail on the City's activities. Actions taken to reduce lead-based paint hazards. 91.220(k); 91.320(j) The City's Housing Rehabilitation Program conducted lead paint testing at every home that participated in the program, regardless of the current household composition. A single family homeowner can participate in a 15 year deferred payment 0% interest loan program in which lead paint can be abated if necessary. The upward project cost limit of $45,000 was set high to permit abatement activities if needed. The Northampton Board of Health continued to keep up the data base of units that have been abated and so certified as such. Lead Paint issues are typically topics of discussion at the annual Landlord Workshop sponsored by the Housing Partnership. The Valley CDC's Homeownership Center continued to refer people to the State's Get the Lead Out Program, when funds were available. The rates of lead paint poisoning among children remain low locally, but we know it is a silent discriminator when landlords refuse to rent to families with young children because they are unwilling or financially unable to abate their units. With the age of the housing stock in Northampton, the presence of lead paint can be assumed. Abatement information will be disseminated at the Landlord workshop to be held this fall. Actions taken to reduce the number of poverty-level families. 91.220(k); 91.320(j) The City continued to fund the Northampton Survival Center, the MANNA Soup Kitchen and the SRO Food Pantry this past year. The provision of healthy food and community meals helps people avoid the choice they sometimes have to make between eating and paying housing or other CAPER 36 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) costs. The Valley CDC Micro-Business Assistance program provided technical and moral support to people thinking of starting or are already operating a small business for job creation, retention and income maximization. The Literacy Project, the Center for New Americans, Casa Latina and Community Action's Youth Employment Readiness Program assisted individuals and families with gaining education and employment skills to increase economic empowerment and self-sufficiency. The City's Senior Services Center assisted elders with gaining employment to supplement their retirement incomes through the EARN Program (Employment After Retirement Network). These programs are all CDBG sub-recipients. Discussions began with the Northampton Housing Authority with regard to participation in HUD's Small Area Fair Market Rent program. This would increase the ability of people with low incomes to use HUD Housing Choice Vouchers in Northampton. Because Northampton is included in the Springfield SMSA, fair market rent rates have been much lower than market rate rents for decades. The NHA is analyzing what converting to this program would mean, assuming the lack of additional funding to accompany such a shift, means less people would be served over all. The Mayor and City Council continued to support local businesses that paid living wages, and acknowledged them in an annual event. Community Action of Pioneer Valley continued to administer the HeadStart and Early Learning Programs, Home Energy Assistance, the WIC Program, Family Support Services Programs, Youth Programs, and worked with Harmon Personnel Services. Harmon is an alternate staffing organization that is a division of Community Action that offers high quality commercial staffing services with the social mission of helping people with low incomes move out of poverty. Actions taken to develop institutional structure. 91.220(k); 91.320(j) With involvement in the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness, the Rural 3 County Continuum of Care, the Next Step Collaborative, Valley CDC's Housing Stabilization Provider meetings, the Cot Management Committee, the Northampton Housing Partnership and the Mayor's Work Group on Panhandling combined with the extensive outreach conducted to update the Analysis of Impediments, the Mayor's Office was constantly engaged with the local and regional service delivery system. At the municipal level, operational feedback and system gap input that informed the work was provided by the CDBG Director, the Economic Development Coordinator, the Community Preservation Committee, the Office of Planning and Sustainability, the Human Rights Commission, the Committee on Disabilities, the Police Department, the Health Department, the Building Department, the Public Works Department, all of whom worked together to identify and address community issues. CAPER 37 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) The Mayor, the Mayor's Chief of Staff, the CDBG Director/Housing Planner, the Planning Director and the Economic Development Coordinator met monthly to insure a coordinated community development strategy. All City Boards and Commissions subject to the Open Meeting law posted their meeting notices and minutes on the City's website. The municipal structure that exists is collaborative and effective. The Action Plans that have been formulated by the Analysis of Impediments Update and the Mayor's Work Group both call for collaboration between the various entities that will be responsible for implementing a myriad of recommendations, to insure our community is welcoming and accessible to all. The CDBG Director gathered the CDBG program sub-recipients together for an evening session to celebrate program successes. This helps everyone doing this often challenging work to feel supported and acknowledges the role they play in a larger network of people working towards similar goals of empowerment. Actions taken to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies. 91.220(k); 91.320(j) The Next Step Collaborative meetings (City sponsored gathering of local housing and homeless service providers, meeting monthly since 1994) were attended this past year by people living outside, living in emergency shelters, people serving Veterans, people living with HIV/Aids, people in recovery, people living in subsidized housing, people managing subsidized housing, and people providing housing stabilization support services. This group identified the need for and held the session with area housing developers about how to create Housing First units in the community. This meeting was attended by 30 people and a smaller work group came out of it that continues to pursue this goal. Housing providers, managers and developers heard from service providers about the need for low threshold housing units, which traditional non-profit affordable housing developers declared they are unlikely to produce. Other partners, possibly in the health care system are being examined for partnering. Cooley Dickinson Hospital, through the Accountable Care Organization developments, may have future funding for housing and support service activities. The disappearance of the old style rooming houses where people can live despite having less than stellar credit and landlord references has made housing access to newly created affordable housing units next to impossible for many. Also articulated in several meetings this past year, is the stress on support services that HUD is placing on the mandate to house chronically homeless people first. Putting the most vulnerable into housing without sufficient support services is a formula for disaster. The State has finally set aside funds available in a fall NOFA, for Supportive Housing for Vulnerable Populations, which awards $1,500 per each Mass Rental Voucher or Project Based Voucher in a development. This provides some ability to support people in new projects, but there remains a dearth of funding sources to support general housing stabilization/support services staffing for existing housing. Valley CDC and Way Finders continued to hold quarterly meetings with representatives from entities who are providing support services for their CAPER 38 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) tenants. Tenancies at risk were identified and participants brainstormed ways to help the resident remain in the unit. With successful tenancies the goal of resident and property owner and management alike, stayed evictions save money and stress for all. Way Finders continued to try to locate additional resources to provide more staff capacity to take RAFT applications locally, so our service providers don't have to drive clients to Holyoke or Springfield. Identify actions taken to overcome the effects of any impediments identified in the jurisdictions analysis of impediments to fair housing choice. 91.520(a) The newly completed Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, entitled " Unlocking Opportunity - An Assessment of Barriers to Housing Choice in Northampton",will be available in full on the City's website in mid October. This past year was spent examining the recommendations that have been implemented since the last Analysis and soliciting public input to inform the next several years of work, to be overseen by the Northampton Housing Partnership and the Office of the Mayor. The Action Plan included in the full document is attached to this CAPER as an attachment. During this past year, the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center processed complaints from Northampton residents who experienced discrimination. Staff capacity limits the number of cases they can open and pursue. An assessment of the number and nature of complaints is contained in the Analysis of Impediments. The trend over the years continued this past year, with the primary area of discrimination occuring in the area of reasonable accommodation. Information about this area of law is disseminated at the annual landlord workshops sponsored by the Housing Partnership, and will be included in the one planned for the fall. CAPER 39 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-40 - Monitoring 91.220 and 91.230 Describe the standards and procedures used to monitor activities carried out in furtherance of the plan and used to ensure long- term compliance with requirements of the programs involved, including minority business outreach and the comprehensive planning requirements Quarterly reports are required from all sub-recipients. The data in those reports is used for IDIS entry and is closely reviewed for progress and compliance. Performance outcomes are outlined in the Scope of Services in each CDBG Agreement or Contract. When applicable, contracts also include requirements for submissions of other HUD reports such as Section 3 and FFATA information, as well as Department of Labor MBE/WBE reports and Davis Bacon wage rate compliance certifications and payroll records. Public service applicants are interviewed during a competitive application cycle by a Review Committee comprised of community members and city councilors. Organizational capacity and past performance are evaluated. Along with quarterly reports, on-site monitoring occurs on a rotating basis. Each public service sub-recipient is visited at least once in every 2 year period. Contractors are informed about the above mentioned reports, along with affirmative action hiring goals during meetings and in the contract document. Most smaller projects, such as housing rehab, are completed by sole owner businesses. Larger project sub-recipients, while able to do outreach, often do not need to expand their workforce to complete a project. Solicitation for contractors, as for the housing rehab program, include the statements that women and/or minority owned businesses or Section 3 businesses, are encouraged to apply. Citizen Participation Plan 91.105(d); 91.115(d) Describe the efforts to provide citizens with reasonable notice and an opportunity to comment on performance reports. Legal ads were published in the local newspaper for all public hearings and publication of the Draft Plan, Action Plan and CAPER documents giving the dates of meetings and times available for review in the office. All documents were also uploaded to the City's website. Residents were CAPER 40 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) encouraged to come in, call or email with comments. Center for New Americans has in-house translators to convey information to minority populations and assist them should they wish to comment. The CDBG Director discussed program goals, objectives and outcomes with the Next Step Collaborative participants monthly and provided notice to an extensive email listserv about all public hearings, publication of documents and applicable comment periods. The discussions at the various public hearings and meetings yielded valuable input. No other comments on the CAPER were received from the general public. The participant list for the stakeholder and focus group sessions held to solicit input for the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Update is included herein as an attachment. Linkages were made during Impediments Analysis update public sessions about work plans being incorporated into CDBG Action Plans and CAPER reports and the opportunities to comment throughout the year. CR-45 - CDBG 91.520(c) Specify the nature of, and reasons for, any changes in the jurisdiction’s program objectives and indications of how the jurisdiction would change its programs as a result of its experiences. The majority of activities outlined in the Action Plan for the Program Year now being reported on proceeded without any issues. Due to ongoing issues, however, the funds for the demolition of a farmhouse on Burt's Pit Road were reallocated to the Housing Rehabilitation Program. The demolition project continued to be held up by the State Department of Community Assets Management, who continued to be unwilling to transfer the parcels to the City without a significant purchase price. DCAM required the City to pay for an appraisal, which was done, but due to the delay in being able to secure site control and issue a Request for Proposals to develop the parcels ( Burts Pit as well as one on Laurel Street ) for affordable housing, we were unable to make progress. Despite the fact that the parcels were originally deeded to the Northampton Housing Authority for free during the disposition of the Northampton State Hospital, DCAM is requiring that the City purchase these parcels. We have sought the assistance of our legislative delegation to assist with the transfer of these parcels. The CDBG allocation for the Village Hill Affordable Housing project is going to be reallocated. Because the 65 unit housing project did not receive the State funding needed to proceed, (projects are rarely funded by the State with their first submission) the expenditure will not be able to be made in the near future. In order to avoid a timeliness issue with HUD for CDBG expenditures, the funding will be reallocated. A public hearing and posting will be held to re-allocate the $150,000 to the Hampshire Heights playground project and the Village Hill affordable housing project will be considered for a new CDBG allocation in the next program year. CAPER 41 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Does this Jurisdiction have any open Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) grants? No [BEDI grantees] Describe accomplishments and program outcomes during the last year. CAPER 42 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CR-45 - CDBG 91.520(c) Specify the nature of, and reasons for, any changes in the jurisdiction’s program objectives and indications of how the jurisdiction would change its programs as a result of its experiences. The majority of activities outlined in the Action Plan for the Program Year now being reported on proceeded without any issues. Due to ongoing issues, however, the funds for the demolition of a farmhouse on Burt's Pit Road were reallocated to the Housing Rehabilitation Program. The demolition project continued to be held up by the State Department of Community Assets Management, who continued to be unwilling to transfer the parcels to the City without a significant purchase price. DCAM required the City to pay for an appraisal, which was done, but due to the delay in being able to secure site control and issue a Request for Proposals to develop the parcels ( Burts Pit as well as one on Laurel Street ) for affordable housing, we were unable to make progress. Despite the fact that the parcels were originally deeded to the Northampton Housing Authority for free during the disposition of the Northampton State Hospital, DCAM is requiring that the City purchase these parcels. We have sought the assistance of our legislative delegation to assist with the transfer of these parcels. The CDBG allocation for the Village Hill Affordable Housing project is going to be reallocated. Because the 65 unit housing project did not receive the State funding needed to proceed, (projects are rarely funded by the State with their first submission) the expenditure will not be able to be made in the near future. In order to avoid a timeliness issue with HUD for CDBG expenditures, the funding will be reallocated. A public hearing and posting will be held to re-allocate the $150,000 to the Hampshire Heights playground project and the Village Hill affordable housing project will be considered for a new CDBG allocation in the next program year. Does this Jurisdiction have any open Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) grants? No [BEDI grantees] Describe accomplishments and program outcomes during the last year. CAPER 43 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 44 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Attachment CAPER PR26 - 2018-2019 CAPER 45 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 46 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 47 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 48 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 49 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 50 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 51 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) AI Action Plan Action Timeline Responsible Party Identify funding sources to continue Community Housing Support Services Program Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Center for Human Development, Community Legal Aid, Northampton Housing Authority Conduct Landlord and Property Management Training on Reasonable Accommodation Short Northampton Housing Partnership, Community Legal Aid, Stavros Center for Independent Living, Northampton Housing Authority, Mass Fair Housing Center Host a Social Service Presentation for Landlords Encourage “Conditional” Tenancies Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing and CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, community social service providers Host a Meet and Greet Landlord/ Tenant Day Encourage “Conditional” Tenancies Short Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Landlord community, Hampshire County Resource Center, Hampshire County House of Corrections, Northampton Veteran’s Services Office, other housing search organizations Ensure Service Providers are Aware of CHAMP/ Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Public Housing Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing and CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Northampton Housing Authority, Western Mass Network to End Homelessness CAPER 52 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Encourage Trauma Informed Property Management/ Identify Trainers, Conduct Sessions Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing and CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, area property managers and housing providers Create Northampton Housing Authority Website With Language Options Short Northampton Housing Authority Translate Housing Authority Documents into Multiple Languages & Provide Access on Web-Site and @ Office locations Short Northampton Housing Authority Investigate Adoption of Small Area FMR’s at Northampton Housing Authority Short Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Northampton Housing Authority Identify Procedure for Utilizing Air B and B Community Impact fees for affordable housing Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership Participate in SNO Housing Mobility Pilot Program/ Include Language Access Component Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Way Finders, Center for New Americans, International Language Institute Encourage Housing Developers to Work with Stavros when accessible units are created Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG , Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability, Stavros Center for Independent Living, Northampton Disability Commission CAPER 53 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Support Legislation: No Fault Eviction for Older Adults, Rent Arrearage Programs, Tenants' Right to Counsel, Increased Community Preservation Act Funding, Local Option Transfer Fee to Fund Affordable Housing, Regional Ballot Initiatives Short On-going Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Western Mass Network to End Homelessness, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, State Legislative Delegation Address Barrier Created for Tenants by Rental Agency Finder’s Fee Requirement Short Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Rent NOHO Examine CDBG set aside fund for landlords to cover unit damage / Incentive to accept Section 8 vouchers Medium Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Landlord community Consider tax abatement for private landlords to accept tenants with Rental Vouchers Medium Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Assessor’s Office, Northampton Housing Partnership Consider CDBG set aside in Housing Rehab Program for Landlords to Accomplish Reasonable Accommodation Medium Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Northampton Disability Commission, Stavros CAPER 54 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Support Creation of Full Time ADA Coordinator Position / locally or regionally based Medium Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Disability Commission Schedule and Participate in Anti- Racism or Undoing Racism Trainings/Workshop Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, City Departments, Northampton Housing Partnership, Northampton Human Rights Commission, Northampton Housing Authority, community partners Create a Housing Navigator Position Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, community partners Provide Resources to Help Repair/Improve Credit Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership Way Finders, Valley CDC, Community Action Pioneer Valley, area banking institutions Increase Career Center Presence in Northampton & Remove Language barriers Medium Mayor’s Office, MassHire Implement an Award Program for Businesses that hire local Medium Mayor’s Office, Northampton Chamber of Commerce Support Creation of Landlord Association/Listserv for Information Dissemination Medium Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton, Housing Partnership, Way Finders, Northampton Chamber of Commerce Implement a Visitability Ordinance Medium Northampton Planning and Sustainability/Housing, Northampton Housing Partnership, Stavros, Local American Institute of Architects Chapter List Inventory of Local Handicap Accessible Units and Vacancies on Line Medium Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Housing Partnership, Northampton Housing Authority, Stavros, Northampton Disability Commission, Affordable Housing Providers CAPER 55 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Encourage Housing Providers to use Mass Access Registry Support On-going Housing Mobility Programming Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Mass Fair Housing Center, Way Finders - Supporting Neighborhood Opportunity Project (SNO) Identify & Adopt Regulatory Land Use Improvements to Facilitate Family Housing Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Increase Housing Resources for Post- Incarcerated Individuals (Returning Citizens) Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Hampshire County House of Corrections Provide Lead Paint Remediation Programming Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing and CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission/Northampton Housing Rehabilitation Program, City Health Department Research Refugee Placement Circles of Care model to mentor/assist people Medium Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Next Step Collaborative, Catholic Charities Examine (Re)Creation of Community Land Trust Medium/Long Northampton Housing Partnership, Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Valley CDC, Massachusetts Housing Partnership Continue Production of Low Threshold Affordable Housing -Housing First Units -Services for Women Short/Medium/Long Mayor’ Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Planning and Sustainability Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, Way Finders, Valley CDC, Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals, Safe Passage, State Department of Housing and Community Development, Dept. of Mental Health, Home City Housing and other housing developers CAPER 56 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Encourage Regional Participation in Regional Housing Production On-going Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Western Mass Network to End Homelessness, Three County Continuum of Care/Community Action of Pioneer Valley Continue to Assist Households in Becoming Homeowners On-going Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Valley Community Development Corporation, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Community Action Pioneer Valley, Encourage On Site Workshops on Financial Literacy, Eviction Prevention, Orientations to Promote Successful Tenancies for tenants where they live On-going Mayor’s Office/Housing & CDBG, Community Housing Support Services Program, Community Legal Aid, area housing property managers Require On Site Resident Service Coordinators/ Support Services for all new affordable housing developments and advocate for funding to ensure On-going Mayor’s Office/ Housing & CDBG, Northampton Housing Partnership, Affordable Housing Developers Increase Transportation Options Ongoing PVTA, Northampton Planning and Sustainability, ValleyBike, PVPC, MassDOT, FTA, USDOT, State and federal elected officials Short = within one year Medium = Between 1-3 years Long = 3+ years CAPER 57 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) AI Stakeholder Sessions List Unlocking Opportunity: An Assessment of Barriers to Fair Housing Choice in Northampton Stakeholder/Focus Group Participation Organizational Grouping Organization Representative(s) Social Service Provider/ Housing Search Worker Center for New Americans Laurie Millman, Director Community Legal Aid Jen Dieringer, Managing Attorney & Mandy Winalski, Staff Attorney Catholic Charities Kathryn Buckley Brawner, Director Pioneer Valley Workers Center Gabriella della Croce Lead Organizer Community Action Janna Tetreault CAPER 58 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Department of Mental Health Kate Shapiro, Chris Zabik Eliot Homeless Services Jay Levy, Charlyn Arnell ServiceNet Resource Center Katie Miernecki Mike Trembley A Positive Place Laura Hudson Carmen Burgos Property Management HMR Properties Liz Reno, Robbie Brooks ServiceNet, Inc.Alex Spear The Community Builders Yvette Tanguay Julia Scannell Hathaway Farms Jon Devins Mt. Holyoke Management Julia Clinton Appleton Corporation Donna Coyle Georgette Gigliano Housing Authorities Northampton Jack Redman Amherst Pamela Rogers Franklin Regional Hank Abrashkin Holyoke Matt Mainville CAPER 59 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Nick Ottomaniello Donna Wagner Disability Community Advocates Northampton ADA Coordinator Marie Westberg Director Stavros Center for Ind. Living Jim Wolejko , Iheme Onyekaba, Joe Tringali Surrounding Towns/ City Officials Springfield Gerry McCafferty, Housing Director Amherst Julie Federman, Health Director Easthampton Hayley Wood, COA Greenfield MJ Adams, CD Director Affordable Housing Providers Valley CDC Laura Baker, Real Estate Project Manager Way Finders Peter Serafino, Project Dev. Habitat for Humanity Megan McDonough, Director The Community Builders Rachana Crowley, Project Manager Realtors Maple and Main Julie Held 5 Colleges Alyx Akers CAPER 60 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) Murphy’s Real Estate David Murphy Goggins Real Estate Rachel Simpson Local Government Officials Mayor David Narkewicz, Mayor Office of Planning and Sustainability Wayne Feiden, Director Senior Services Marie Westberg, Cynthia Langley, Michele Dihlmann Public Schools Kelley Knight, Social Worker Housing Partnership Jim Reis, Gordon Shaw, Rev. Todd Weir Focus Groups Affiliation Number Participating Northampton Recovery Center 6 participants Hampshire County House of Corrections Pre-Release Program 10 participants Hampshire County Resource Center / Homeless 5 participants Safe Passages/ Shelter and Services for Victims of DV 2 participants CAPER 61 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 62 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 2018-19 Project Addendum CAPER 63 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 64 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 65 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 66 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 67 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 68 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 69 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 70 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 71 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 72 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 73 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 74 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 75 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 76 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 77 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 78 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 79 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 80 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER Checklist 2018-19 CAPER 81 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 82 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 83 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 84 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 85 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 86 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 87 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 88 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 89 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 90 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 91 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 92 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018) CAPER 93 OMB Control No: 2506-0117 (exp. 06/30/2018)