Legislative Matter

Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 201120

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Clerk's Official Copy

File Number: 201120

File Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted

Version: 0

Reference: R-583-20

Control: County Commission

File Name: A SMALL BUSINESS FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM

Introduced: 6/4/2020

Requester: NONE

Cost:

Final Action: 6/16/2020

Agenda Date: 6/16/2020

Agenda Item Number: 11A2

Notes:

Title:

RESOLUTION AMENDING ITEM 14A1 FROM THE MAY 19, 2020 BOARD AGENDA; REQUIRING THAT (1) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS, APPROPRIATED IN THE 2020 CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT (CARES ACT) ENACTED BY THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) AND DISTRIBUTED PURSUANT TO ITEM 14A1 TO A SMALL BUSINESS FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM, BE EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AMONG THE 13 COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICTS; AND (2) ENTITIES ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM BOTH USE THE SAME APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS

Indexes:

SMALL BUSINESS

Sponsors:	Esteban L. Bovo, Jr., Prime Sponsor
	Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Co-Sponsor
	Rebeca Sosa, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision: No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners	6/16/2020	11A2	Adopted				P
REPORT:	Commissioner Levine Cava requested an update on the status of the small business forgivable loan program. Mr. Michael Liu, Director, Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development (PHCD) Department, advised the Board members that a report was forward to each commissioner detailing the number of applications received to date. He reported out of approximately 2600 applications sent out to various parties, 272 were returned with 122 fully completed. Mr. Liu noted staff was in the process of approving and funding 20 applications this week and estimated the average approval amount was $8500.00. He pointed out the applications were received from different commission districts and indicated both entities involved in the program, Partners for Self Employment and Tools for Change, were completely engaged and ready to proceed. Commissioner Levine Cava spoke about the success of the program to date and urged the Board to keep the existing program in tact without any changes. Commissioner Bovo stated while he was in support of the item he was concerned about the equity of the distribution of funds and cited the number of business approved or in the process of being approved for funds from Commission Districts 1 (28 businesses), 3 (37 businesses) and 5 (20 businesses), as opposed to only 15 from his Commission District (13). Commissioner Martinez reminded his colleagues he initially voted against the item based on his concerns about the equitable distribution of funds. Commissioner Heyman pointed out every one expressed concerns about equitable distribution when the item was first considered and spoke about the intent of the Board to ensure each Commission District was allocated the same amount of funds to distribute with an understanding that any unallocated funds would be recaptured and redistributed as needed. Chairwoman Edmonson reminded her colleagues the money needed to be spent by the end of the year. Commissioner Sosa indicated per the report received from the department, only four (4) businesses were awarded funds to date from her Commission District. Hearing no other questions or comments, the Board proceeded to vote to adopt the foregoing proposed resolution, as presented.

County Attorney	6/4/2020		Assigned	Brenda Kuhns Neuman		6/8/2020

Legislative Text

TITLE
RESOLUTION AMENDING ITEM 14A1 FROM THE MAY 19, 2020 BOARD AGENDA; REQUIRING THAT (1) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS, APPROPRIATED IN THE 2020 CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT (CARES ACT) ENACTED BY THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) AND DISTRIBUTED PURSUANT TO ITEM 14A1 TO A SMALL BUSINESS FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM, BE EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AMONG THE 13 COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICTS; AND (2) ENTITIES ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM BOTH USE THE SAME APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS

BODY
WHEREAS, item 14A1 from the May 19, 2020, Board of County Commissioner’s agenda (Legistar No. 200926) approved substantial amendments to the County’s FY 2013-2017 (as extended through 2019) Consolidated Plan and FY 2019 Action Plan to include Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) funds and Emergency Solutions Grant funds appropriated in the CARES Act enacted by the United States Congress in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); and
WHEREAS, this Board bifurcated the item into two parts, the first relating to food for public housing families and homeless programs, and the second relating to a small business forgivable loan program using CDBG-CV funding; and

WHEREAS, at the June 2, 2020, Board of County Commissioners meeting, a motion was made to amend the second part of 14A1 relating to the small business forgivable loan program to require that CDBG-CV funds be divided equally as much as possible among the 13 county commission districts and that the entities administering the program use the same application and review process,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Requires that the $5,000,000 of CDBG-CV funds specifically allocated through the CARES Act for the small business forgivable loan program be divided equally as much as possible among the 13 county commission districts.
Section 2. Directs the County Mayor or County Mayor's designee to require that both of the entities administering the small business forgivable loan program use the same application process and loan review process, which would ensure that the two agencies are using the same application, looking at the same criteria, and reviewing the loan applications with the same level of scrutiny, such that an applicant would be treated the same regardless of which entity to which they applied for assistance.