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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 02081994 - 1.58 y ,. Contra Y 1. oTO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Costa County FROM: Harvey E. Bragdon Director of Community Development DATE: February 8, 1994 SUBJECT: Correspondence to Congressional Delegation and Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS.(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS AUTHORIZE the Chair of the Board of Supervisors to sign letters to Senator Diane Feinstein, Congressman George Miller, and John Murphy, Executive Director of the Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (ALHFA) expressing the County' s appreciation for their assistance in obtaining a waiver of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) regulations required to permit two County housing projects to proceed. FISCAL IMPACT No General Funds are involved. CDBG and HOME Program funds have been previously approved by the Board of Supervisors for both projects . CDBG and HOME funds are allocated to the County through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) . BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS In July of 1993, Contra Costa County requested a waiver of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) regulations for two first-time CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: iaAA4� RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDAT OF B ARD COMMI EE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : ACTION OF BOARD ON k9 ^ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT . ) TRUE tND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Kathleen Hamm 646-4208 ATTESTED $ cc: County Administrator PHIL BATCHE OR, CLERK OF County Counsel THE BOARD F SUPERVISORS Community Development AND COUNTY \ADMINISTRATOR BY A,,p,Q J , DEPUTY homebuyer projects involving the use of CDBG funds . These two projects are Leland Village, a single family development involving the new construction of 108 units in Pittsburg, and Parkway Estates, involving the new construction of 56 single family homes in North Richmond. In both projects, CDBG funds will be used to cover a portion of site acquisition costs . Following construction, all CDBG funds will be rolled over into silent second mortgages to permit acquisition of a portion of the units in each development by lower income first-time homebuyers, including 38 units in Leland Village and 18 units in Parkway Estates . According to federal regulations as interpreted by HUD, in order to be eligible for CDBG funds, all units in both projects must be affordable to and occupied by lower income households . This requirement rendered both projects economically infeasible and resulted in the potential loss of 56 affordable units in Contra Costa. As a result of the HUD ruling, the Community Development Department requested a waiver of federal regulations based on the substantial benefit both projects would provide to lower income households through the development of 56 affordable housing units for first- time homebuyers : o In the Leland Village Project, public funds representing less than 4 percent of the total project costs will enable acquisition - of 35 percent of the total units built by low- income first-time homebuyers . o In the Parkway Estates Project, public funds representing less than 5 percent of total project costs will enable acquisition of 30 percent of the total units built by low-income first- time homebuyers . The Community Development Department received substantial assistance in pressing the County' s case with HUD from Tobias Brink in Senator Diane Feinstein' s Office, Barbara Johnson in Congressman George Miller' s Office, and Marian Barber of ALHFA. On December 10, 1993, the Department was notified of HUD' s approval of the County' s waiver request, clearing the way for the Leland Village and Parkway Estates Projects to proceed. KH/C/TP4 �1 Phil Batchelor The Board of Supervisors Contra Clerk of the Board and County Administration BuildingCosta County Administrator 651 Pine St., Room 106 (510)646-2371 Martinez, California 94553-1290 County Tom Powers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District Gayle Bishop,3rd District Sunne Wright McPeak,4th District �, Tom Torlakson,5th District (510) 372-3231 rA cou*`� February 8, 1994 Senator Diane Feinstein 1700 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94133 Dear Senat r 4_� SUBJECT: Approval of Contra Costa County' s Request for Waiver of Federal Regulations by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The purpose of this letter is to express our appreciation for your assistance in obtaining approval by HUD of the County's request for a waiver of federal regulations for two first-time homebuyer projects involving the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds . The two projects are Parkway Estates I located in North Richmond and Leland Village located in Pittsburg. The nonprofit Project Sponsors can now proceed with final development plans, site acquisition, and construction. When complete, these two projects will increase the County's housing stock by 164 units, including 56 units which will be affordable to and occupied by lower income first-time homebuyers. Mr. Tobias Brink in your San Francisco Office was particularly helpful in convincing HUD of the merits of the County' s waiver request and in expediting the approval process . Again, we greatly appreciate your help in resolving this matter and expanding affordable housing opportunities in Contra Costa county. Sincerely, Tom Powers Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: Board of Supervisors Tobias Brink Community Development Department (K. Hamm) KH/K4/TP2 The Board of Supervisors Contra thetchelor and County Administration BuildingCOSta County Administrator 651 Pine St., Room 106 (510)646-2371 Martinez, California 94553-1290 County Tom Powers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District Gayle Bishop,3rd District f•.st_•c_•o„ .. Sunne Wright McPeak,4th District •,� .• _ i Tom Torlakson,5th District •;f�---'. � • (510) 372-3231 o6r February 8, 1994 Congressman George Miller 7th District, California 2205 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20516-0507 Dear Congressman Miller: SUBJECT: Approval of Contra Costa County' s Request for Waiver of Federal Regulations by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The purpose of this letter is to express our appreciation for your assistance in obtaining approval by HUD of the County' s request for a waiver of federal regulations for two first-time homebuyer projects involving the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds . The two projects are Parkway Estates I located in North Richmond and Leland Village located in Pittsburg. The nonprofit Project Sponsors can now proceed with final development plans, site acquisition, and construction. When complete, these two projects will increase the County's housing stock by 164 units, including 56 units which will be affordable to and occupied by lower income first-time homebuyers . Ms . Barbara Johnson in your District Office was particularly helpful in convincing HUD of the merits of the County' s waiver request and in expediting the approval process . Again, we greatly appreciate your , help in resolving this matter and expanding affordable housing opportunities in Contra Costa county. Sincerely, Tom Powers Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: Board of Supervisors Barbara Johnson Community Development Department (K. Hamm) KH/K4/TPI The Board of Supervisors Contra CeFrk(ftthehBoard and County Administration BuildingCOSta County Administrator 651 Pine St., Room 106 (510)646-2371 Martinez, California 94553-1290 County Tom Powers,1st District Jeff Smith,2nd District Gayle Bishop,3rd District �•.. , Sunne Wright McPeak,4th District Tom Torlakson,5th District ' (510) 372-3231 q COU1` February 8, 1994 John C. Murphy Executive Director Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies 1101 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. , Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20036 Dear Mr. Murphy: SUBJECT: Approval of Contra Costa County' s Request for Waiver of Federal Regulations by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) The purpose of this letter is to express our appreciation for the assistance provided by the Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (ALHFA) in obtaining HUD approval of the County's request for a waiver of federal regulations for two first-time homebuyer projects involving the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds . The two projects are Parkway Estates I located in North Richmond and Leland Village located in Pittsburg. The nonprofit Project Sponsors can now proceed with final development plans, site acquisition, and construction. When complete, these two projects will increase the County's housing stock by 164 units, including 56 units which will be affordable to and occupied by lower income first-time homebuyers. Ms . Marian Barber, Director of Program Development for ALHFA, was particularly helpful in working with County staff to develop and refine the arguments needed to justify the waiver request. At Ms. Barber' s request, we are enclosing information copies of the County's original waiver request, additional supportive information requested by HUD, and HUD's response and approval of the waiver. Again, we greatly appreciate the assistance provided by ALHFA in resolving this matter and expanding affordable housing opportunities in Contra Costa county. Sincerel Tom Powers Chair, Board of Supervisors cc: Board of Supervisors Marian Barber Community Development Department (K. Hamm) KH/K4/TP2