Title
Community Development Block Grant Program Disaster Recovery Grant ($100,000) (B)
This item involves a request for the City Commission to approve the acceptance of a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant Program Disaster Recovery Grant from Alachua County for the City's Roof Program.
Explanation
Alachua County has been awarded $475,822 through a non-competitive grant process from the State of Florida for disaster recovery due to 2008 Tropical Storm Fay. This grant will fund the following projects: stormwater projects within low-moderate income areas of the City of Newberry and City of Archer, rehabilitation of Alachua County Housing Authority public housing units, roofing repair of Gainesville Housing Authority public housing units and a roof replacement program for low-moderate income homes in the City of Gainesville. The sub-recipient grants awarded are as follows: Gainesville Housing Authority $60,000; Alachua County Housing Authority $60,000; City of Gainesville Housing $100,000; City of Newberry Stormwater $189,213; City of Archer Stormwater $54,713; and Administrative $11,896 for a total amount $475,822. The funds awarded to Alachua County are to be used for disaster relief and long-term recovery for damages received from Tropical Storm Fay. In the absence of any significant damages, the funding may go towards mitigation projects. All projects must meet one of three national objectives: Benefit low-moderate income persons; address slum and blight; or be an urgent need.
The primary objective of the Roof Program is to reduce the vulnerability of housing structure and infrastructure systems to severe weather and wind conditions. The State of Florida has always been vulnerable to damage caused by hurricanes, coastal storms and tornadoes. In an effort to minimize this type of property damage, these grant funds will be utilized to enhance the City's Roof Program for the application of wind mitigation techniques. The grant funding will be used in low-income neighborhoods located within the city limits of Gainesville to provide roof replacements for eligible homeowners whose current roof would not withstand the effects of tropical storm or hurricane winds and wind-driven rains; or to replace roofs damaged by such past events. The grant funds received from the County will be leveraged with City's federal and state funding programS such as CDBG and SHIP to help expedite assistance to homeowners who are currently on the Roof Program waiting list. Priority will be given to eligible homeowners who have experienced damage to their homes by Tropical Storm Fay.
Fiscal Note
This grant is for a two-year funding cycle that will begin in FY 2010-2011.
Recommendation
The City Commission authorize the City Manager to execute the grant award, subrecipient agreement and any other necessary documents, subject to approval by the City Attorney as to form and legality.