title
Public Hearing: Funding Application for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Competition.
body
|
Staff: |
Department: |
|
Sarah Osmer Viñas, Director |
Affordable Housing and Community Connections |
|
Emily Holt, Affordable Housing Manager |
|
Overview: Affordable Housing and Community Connections is applying to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Notice of Funding opportunity (NOFO) for the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Competition. The purpose of the HUD funding is to deploy $235 million to preserve long-term housing affordability for residents of Manufactured Housing Communities (MHCs), to redevelop MHCs, and to primarily benefit low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents. As part of that application, applicants must hold an in-person public hearing.
|
|
Recommendation(s): |
That the Council receive comments on the Town’s application for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 PRICE funding.
Background
The Town has four MHCs along or near the Martin Luther King Junior, Blvd corridor, an area of high interest to development and redevelopment in Chapel Hill. Several MHCs are under threat of redevelopment and resident displacement. Many homes are also in need of repair and rehabilitation. The Town’s plans for a Bus-Rapid Transit line going up and down Martin Luther King Junior Blvd. will likely enhance development interest in these parcels, as BRT lines need high density development to provide sufficient ridership.
There are unique challenges faced by residents of MHCs, most of whom own the homes they live in but not the land the homes sit on. In 2017, Affordable Housing and Community Connections staff began engaging manufactured home community residents and owners and developed a strategy to mitigate displacement impacts. Subsequently, Town staff built off of that strategy and collaborated with other local governments in Orange County to develop a Manufactured Homes Action Plan <https://www.chapelhillaffordablehousing.org/manufactured-housing-strategy>, which was approved by Town Council in April 2022. The Action Plan creates a framework and strategies to address the challenges of MHCs, while considering the limited authority and resources of local governments and community partners. The key objectives of the Manufactured Homes Action Plan include:
1. Preserve manufactured home communities.
2. Minimize resident displacement due to redevelopment.
3. Create a Relocation Assistance Package to provide meaningful relocation assistance options for residents facing displacement.
Historically, there has been very little funding available to implement the Action Plan. The PRICE NOFO presents the first opportunity for substantial resources to support the Town’s efforts to implement the Action Plan.
Summary of Proposed Application
The minimum grant award for the $235 million available is $5 million. Affordable Housing and Community Connections staff plan to apply for a range of $10-$15 million for the following activities:
§ Acquisition of up to three MHCs
§ Funding for repairs and rehabilitation of units at the four MHCs
§ Upgrading existing utilities or infrastructure improvements at all MHCs
§ Supportive services for residents of MHCs, including relocation assistance, housing mobility counseling, down payment assistance, homebuyer education, support to establish resident self-governance
§ Grant administration
After Council provides feedback on the PRICE application, next steps are:
§ Incorporate feedback received on June 17
§ Share the draft application for a 15-day public comment period
§ Incorporate feedback from the public comment period and submit the application by the July 10 deadline
§ HUD has indicated funding announcements will be made in fall 2024
Fiscal Impact/Resources: If fully awarded, the Town would receive $10-15 Million in funding to support the activities outlined above over a 6-year period. Staff propose leveraging local affordable housing funding to support implementation of the grant activities.
|
|
Linked Material: |
|
|
• Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) Webpage <https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/price> |
|
|
• FY23/FY24 PRICE NOFO <https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/352690> |
|
|
• Manufactured Homes Action Plan <https://www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showdocument?id=52077> |
end
|
The Agenda will reflect the text below and/or the motion text will be used during the meeting. |
presenter
PRESENTER: Sarah Viñas, Affordable Housing and Community Connections Director
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council receive comments on the Town’s application for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 PRICE funding.