Title
Certified Housing Counseling Program Grant Application (NB)
This item involves a request for the City Commission to approve the submission of a $150,000 grant application to the U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for Housing Counseling by the Department of Neighborhood Improvement.
Explanation
On June 16, 2009, HUD announced the FY 2009 NOFA for Housing Counseling Programs to Certified Housing Counseling Agencies. The Housing & Community Development (HCD) Division is a HUD Certified Housing Counseling Agency and is therefore eligible to apply for such funds. The grant application is due to HUD no later than July 17, 2009. The application process is competitive and open to interested eligible applicants. Staff wishes to submit an application for federal fiscal year 2009-2010 funding in the amount of $150,000. If the application is approved, the grant funds awarded will be used to continue the City's existing housing counseling programs. The HCD Division manages a Comprehensive Housing Program, with a major component being its housing counseling programs. Such housing counseling programs include pre-purchase and post-purchase counseling for first-time homebuyers, Down Payment Assistance (DPA), Homebuyer Education & Training Workshops, Credit Repair Workshops, Mortgage Foreclosure Intervention, Debt & Money Management, Homeowner Education and Training, and Budget & Savings Training.
Fiscal Note
No specific matching funds are required. The Housing Counseling funds will be leveraged with funding from the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP) dollars from the Housing & Community Development Division budget to supplement the Housing Counseling Program.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) approve the submission of a $150,000 grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support the City's Certified Housing Counseling Program; 2) authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute the grant application on behalf of the City of Gainesville; and 3) authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute all necessary documents including agreements, assurances and certifications pertinent to said grant, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.