Title
Special Needs Housing Agreement with St. Francis House, Inc. (SFH) (NB)
This item proposes to award a $4,820 Special Needs Housing Program due-on-sale loan to St. Francis House, Inc. to install a new roof on a residential structure used to shelter very low and low-income single family households. The building is located at 2105 Southwest 14th Street and contains 32 single room efficiency units.
Explanation
The Special Needs Housing Program was approved by the City Commission as a part of the Local Housing Assistance Plan and an Inter-Local Agreement with Alachua County. The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Steering Committee met on July 13, 2007 to review applications for Special Needs Housing Program assistance and to hear presentations from representatives of each applicant regarding their requests for funding. The SHIP Steering Committee also conducted a site visit of each applicant. The funds were advertised on a competitive basis, and there were a total of two applicants who applied for funding: Arbor House, Inc. and St. Francis House, Inc. At the end of the meeting, the SHIP Steering Committee unanimously recommended approval of the funding requests from both St. Francis House, Inc. and Arbor House, Inc. In accordance with the Inter-Local Agreement, Alachua County will fund Arbor House, Inc. in the amount of $18,269.00, and the City will fund St. Francis House, Inc. in the amount of $4,820.00.
This Agreement provides for a maximum of $4,820 of SHIP program funds to be used by St. Francis House, Inc. during the period October 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. These funds will be used to finance 50% of the cost to install a new roof on the 32-unit residential structure. The due-on-sale loan will have a 15-year term requiring St. Francis House, Inc. to continue assisting eligible very low and low-income households during the compliance period.
Fiscal Impact
SHIP funding for this program was approved by the City Commission as a part of the Local Housing Assistance Plan. The funds for this project are budgeted in the SHIP Special Needs Housing Program account.
Recommendation
The City Commission: 1) approve the grant award of $4,820 to St. Francis House, Inc. to finance a portion of the cost to install a new roof on the residential structure located at 2105 S.W. 13th Street; and 2) authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the agreement between the City and St. Francis House, Inc., subject to approval by the City Attorney. (Prior to September 10, 2007 a copy of the Agreement will be on file in the Clerk of the Commission's office. After September 10, 2007, a copy of the Agreement will be on file in the Neighborhood Improvement Department.)
Alternative Recommendation A:
The City Commission could choose to not approve the recommendation and require St. Frances House, Inc to locate funding from another source to undertake this project.