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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2010-034 ONDS Citizen Participation Policy - Public Hearing [Office of Neighborhood Development Services]RESOLUTION NO. R 2010-34 A RESOLUTION: adopting the Citizen Participation Policy for submittal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) WHEREAS, the City of Yakima is a recipient of federal CDBG and HOME funds; and WHEREAS, HUD requires CDBG and HOME fund recipients to adopt a Citizen Participation Policy; and WHEREAS, the Office of Neighborhood Development Services (ONDS) has fulfilled the requirements for a 30 -day public written comment period; and WHEREAS, the City of Yakima has completed a Citizen Participation Policy; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA: The Yakima City Council ,hereby adopts the Citizen Participation Policy, and the City Manager is authorized to direct staff to submit the Citizen Participation Policy to HUD as required. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 23rd day of March, 2010. Micah Cawle , Mayor ATTEST: City of Yakima CITIZEN PARTICIPATION POLICY Adopted by Yakima City Council Resolution # It is the intent of the City of Yakima, Office of Neighborhood Development Services (ONDS) to provide City of Yakima residents with the opportunity to be involved in the development and implementation of the City's Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan as well as the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER). Residents are asked to be involved in developing plan objectives, reviewing and commenting on projects recommended for funding, and reviewing program performance. It is the policy of the City of Yakima that citizens will have ongoing access to Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan and CAPER information and timely notification of program activities. ONDS will provide opportunities to residents to access information through: 1. Taking actions to encourage the participation of all City of Yakima citizens living in low and moderate income areas, including minorities and non-English speaking persons, as well as persons with mobility, visual or hearing impairments. 2. , Making available to citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties information that includes the amount of assistance the jurisdiction expects to receive and the range of activities that may be undertaken, including the amount that will benefit low to moderate income persons, the plans to minimize displacement of persons, and to assist any persons displaced as a result of the Plan's adoption. 3. Publishing a budget summary of the City of Yakima Consolidated Annual Action Plan in one or more newspapers, along with notification of the availability of the plan as adopted, any amendments, and its performance report. 4. Posting the proposed Consolidated Plan or summary, the proposed Annual Action plan or summary and the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) on the City's website. 5. Making available at libraries, government offices and public places copies of the Drafts for the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan and the CAPER during comment periods as well as the adopted final plans. 6. Conducting at least two public hearings to discuss the Consolidated Plan, housing and community development needs, proposed activity funding and/or program performance. 7. Providing a period of not less than 30 days to receive written comments from citizens or units of government on the Plan and ensuing amendments, and 15 days to receive written comments concerning the CAPER, before submission to HUD. 8. Advertising the availability of Community Development Block Grant and HOME funded services to City of Yakima residents. Specific marketing methods vary according to the type of service and client group. All funded projects will be affirmatively marketed to low income persons, minority persons and individuals with disabilities. 9. Newspaper notices containing the times, location and dates of neighborhood meetings. PUBLIC HEARINGS The City of Yakima, Office of Neighborhood Development Services conducts hearings during the year for the purpose of providing information about the Consolidated Plan and Community Development Block Grant and HOME programs to city residents, and to receive comments from citizens regarding affordable housing and community development needs, proposed activities, and program performance. The number of hearings conducted during the year depends on the needs of City residents and the nature of the proposed activities. At a minimum, two hearings will be conducted for the following purpoes: 1. To obtain citizens views on affordable housing and community development needs, prior to adopting the Consolidated Plan. 2. To receive citizen's comments on proposed activities, prior to funding decisions being adopted in the Annual Action plan. 3. To review program performance. Hearings may be conducted at locations other than the City of Yakima Council Chambers to make them more accessible to residents of areas which have a significant number of low and moderate income residents or areas where community development or affordable housing activities are proposed. Hearings are generally held in the evenings to encourage greater public attendance. Public hearings and meetings are advertised at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the meeting date in local newspapers in both English and Spanish. Meetings and hearings are open to the public. Notices of hearings are also provided to persons . and organizations requesting program information from ONDS and to units of general local government, when appropriate. ONDS strongly encourages written comments whenever possible from its citizens. 2 • • • • Non-English speaking residents and persons who have physical, mental or developmental disabilities that may make it difficult for them to participate in public hearings may obtain program and plan information by contacting ONDS. Hearing notices state that signing, translation or other services needed by non-English speaking persons or persons with disabilities will be available if requested in writing to the ONDS manager at least one week (7 days) in advance. Hearings are held in locations accessible to persons with limited mobility and are accessibletopublic transportation. PROGRAM DOCUMENTS The office of Neighborhood Development Services (ONDS) prepares several planning, reporting and policy documents related to the funding programs covered under the Consolidated Plan. Copies of these documents are provided to interested individuals and parties upon request as applicable. Interested organizations or individuals may contact ONDS for more information, or to request mailing of a'particular document by contacting the ONDS manager. DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT • A substantial amendment to the Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan will be triggered when more than 10% of a "Program Budget Line" will be reduced. • Changes in the adopted Citizen Participation process. • Changes in allocation priorities or in the method of distributing funds. • Changes in the use of CDBG or HOME funds from one eligible activity to another involving more than 10% of a "Program Budget line". • Initiation of a programnot previously described in the Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan to receive more than 10% of a "Program Budget line". SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT PROCESS • A thirty (30) day written comment period will be published in • the local newspapers in both English and Spanish to provide citizen review of the proposed "Substantial Amendment" and allow written comments to ONDS prior to adoption. • After the thirty (30) day written comment period a fourteen (14) day Public Hearing notice will be given to allow citizens to participate in .a Public Hearing before the City of Yakima Council prior to the amendments adoption: REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS The City of Yakima accepts "Proposals for Funding" for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME funds throughout the year. The City of Yakima will provide 3 technical assistance to individuals and/or groups representative of persons of low and moderate income that request such assistance in developing proposals for funding. The process is as follows; • If technical assistance is needed, a written request for assistance should be submitted to the ONDS manager. • Submission of a "Proposal for Funding" should be submitted to Neighborhood Development Services Manager in writing and should include a full description of the proposed project or activity, a description of "Sources and Uses" to include all funding from sources to include city funding, a projected time line of duration of the project from start to finish, a summary description of the benefit of the project to the low to moderate income citizens within the City of Yakima. • At the earliest convenience of the Neighborhood Development Committee the individual or agency submitting the "Proposal for Funding" will be invited to discuss their proposal directly with the committee. • If the Neighborhood Development Committee (comprised of three city council members) recommends moving the request forward, it then goes before the city council at its earliest convenience. COMMENTS The City of Yakima solicits written views and written public comment from all its citizens. Public written comment on the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and/ or the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER) should be addressed or hand delivered to the City of Yakima Office of Neighborhood Development Services Manager. Attention: ONDS Manager 112 S. 8th Street Yakima, WA. 98901 Comments are accepted and considered as such, but unless a question is posed or a response solicited, not all comments will be responded to. A summary of all comments and a summary of comments not incorporated into the Plan and the reason, shall be attached to the final Consolidated Plan as outlined in 24CFR 91.105 (b)(5). The City of Yakima will publish, two weeks in advance in the local, newspaper in both English and Spanish, the beginning date and ending date for 30 day written public 4 • • • • comment periods, concerning the Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan; CAPER and/or any Substantial Amendments. CONSOLIDATED PLAN COMPLAINT POLICY The City of Yakima shall consider any complaint or comment of citizens received in writing or orally at the public hearings in preparing the final Consolidated Plan, Annual Action plan, and amendment to the Plan, or performance report. The City shall respond in writing in a timely manner, within 15 days where practical, to all written complaints, grievances and requests for information concerning the Consolidated Plan, unless otherwise processed in accordance with the Washington State Public Records Act. All complaints comments, or requests for information concerning the Consolidated Plan shall be addressed to the Manager of the Office of Neighborhood Development Services (ONDS), 112 South 8th Street, Yakima, Washington 98901. A summary of these complaints or comments, shall be attached to the final Consolidated Plan, amendment of the Plan, or performance report. Should the need arise, a complaint or the City's response, may be elevated through the following review: • Office of Neighborhood Development Services Manager • Community and Economic Development Director • Yakima City Council Neighborhood Development Committee • Yakima City Council • Local Region 10 HUD office • • ITEM TITLE: BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 8 For Meeting of March 23, 2010 Public Hearing on the Office of Neighborhood Development Services (ONDS) Citizen Participation Policy and a Resolution adopting the Citizen Participation Policy for submittal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). SUBMITTED BY: Bill Cook, CED Director CONTACT PERSON: Michael Morales, 509-575-3533 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: This public hearing is to provide an opportunity for and consideration. of any comments on the draft Citizen Participation Policy. Adopting the Resolution will allow the final draft of the Citizen Participation Policy to be submitted to HUD. Explanation: HUD mandates that CDBG and HOME funded jurisdictions adopt a Citizen Participation Policy. Following a 30-daywritten comment period, under the guidance of Yakima City Council members, and as recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulation, a draft of the Citizen Participation Policy comes before the Yakima City Council for adoption prior to submittal to HUD. The draft Citizen Participation Policy has been advertised and was available for public comment from February 9, 2010 through March 19, 2010. Written comments received during the 30 -day comment were taken into consideration for this draft. Resolution X Ordinance Other (Specify) Contract Funding Source Mail to (name and address): APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: ty Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve request. BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: The Council Neighborhood Development Committee reviewed the draft policy on February 3, 2010, and recommended it be forwarded to the full Council for approval. COUNCIL ACTION: