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RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PLANNING GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $300,000 FOR CULMER GARDENS IN OVERTOWN; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO RECEIVE, EXPEND, AND EXECUTE SUCH CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS, MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING, AND AMENDMENTS AFTER APPROVAL BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY; AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR THE COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO APPLY FOR, RECEIVE, AND EXPEND ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT MAY BECOME AVAILABLE

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board ratifies the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee�s to apply for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhood Initiative Planning Grant funds in the amount of $300,000 for Public Housing and Community Development�s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Planning Grant project for Culmer Gardens. The Board further authorizes the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to receive and expend these grant funds, and to execute such contracts, agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, and amendments, as required by program guidelines, subject to the approval of the County Attorney. The Board also authorizes the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to apply for, receive, and expend additional funds that may become available during the term of the grant; to file and execute any amendments to the application for and on behalf of the County; and to exercise amendments, modifications, renewal, cancellation, and termination clauses of any contracts and agreements, subject to the approval of the County Attorney�s Office.

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Date:

To: Honorable Chairman Joe A. Martinez
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

From: Carlos A. Gimenez
Mayor

Subject: Resolution Ratifying the Action for the Public Housing and Community Development
Department to Apply for, Receive and Expend Funds from the HUD Choice Neighborhoods
Initiative Planning Grant Application for Culmer Gardens

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approve the attached resolution ratifying the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to submit an application to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Housing and Urban Development) Choice Neighborhood Initiative Planning Grant (Planning Grant) funds in the amount of $300,000 for Culmer Gardens; and authorize the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to receive and expend grant funds, and to execute such contracts, agreements, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), and amendments, required by program guidelines, subject to approval by the County Attorney�s Office. It is also recommended that the Board authorize the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to apply for, receive, and expend additional funds that may become available during the term of the grant; to file and execute any amendments to the application for and on behalf of Miami-Dade County; and to exercise amendments, modifications, renewal, cancellation, and termination clauses of any contracts and agreements, subject to approval by the County Attorney�s Office.

SCOPE
The Planning grant funds will be used by Public Housing and Community Development Department (Department) to create a comprehensive plan to transform public and assisted housing within the distressed neighborhood of Overtown in Miami-Dade County. The Department will develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategy known as a Transformation Plan. The project will target Culmer Gardens, a family public housing development located at NW 5th Street and 5th Avenue, and the surrounding neighborhoods, within Commission District 3.

FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE
The Planning Grant funds will cover partial project costs. A required minimum twenty-five percent (25%) cash leverage commitment, with an equal in-kind match will include $75,000 in cash from the Department and $75,000 in in-kind from the collaborative project partners. The total value of the project is $450,000. The project will not have an adverse fiscal impact to the County�s general fund.

TRACK RECORD/MONITOR
The Department has an extensive history of managing Federal grant projects. Department will coordinate project implementation and management, will monitor and process the disbursement and expenditure of grant funds, and manage programmatic and fiscal reporting in accordance with project reporting and auditing procedures stipulated by Housing and Urban Development.

MANAGER'S BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The Department will target the Overtown community and the Culmer Gardens public housing development. The Choice Neighborhood Initiative will employ a comprehensive approach to neighborhood revitalization by transforming the community, revitalizing public and assisted housing, and by promoting leverage investments.

Phase I of the project is the Planning component, and will result in the development of the Transformation Plan. If successful in receiving funding for Phase I, the County will then apply to Housing and Urban Development for Phase II funding for an Implementation grant of up to $30 million. Planning grants assist communities in developing a successful neighborhood Transformation Plan, and build support necessary for that plan to be successfully implemented.

The Choice Neighborhood Initiative will focus on three core goals: 1) transforming distressed public and assisted housing into energy efficient, mixed-income housing that is physically and financially viable over the long-term; 2) supporting positive outcomes for families who live in the target development(s) and the surrounding neighborhood, particularly outcomes related to residents� health, safety, employment, mobility, and education; and 3) transforming neighborhoods from distressed, high-poverty neighborhoods into viable, mixed-income and sustainable neighborhood with access to well-functioning services, high quality public schools and educational programs, high quality early learning programs and services, public assets, public transportation, and improved access to jobs.

Collaborative partners to the project will include, but are not limited to: Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, Collins Center for Public Policy, Inc., Carrfour Supportive Housing; Mt. Zion Community Development Corporation, South Florida Regional Planning Council, and Miami-Dade County�s Sustainability, Planning and Economic Enhancement Department, Community Action and Human Services Department, and the Office of Management and Budget, Grants Coordination.

The short turnaround time imposed by the application deadline did not allow sufficient time for the processing of a resolution, and its submission to the Board, prior to submission of the grant application.


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Russell Benford, Deputy Mayor