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1 2010 North Carolina Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report Participating Agencies: North Carolina Department of Commerce, Community Investment and Assistance North Carolina Housing Finance Agency North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, AIDS Care Unit 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Summary of Housing Needs ................................................................................................................... 4 Summary of Resources ................................................................................................................................ 6 Distribution of Resources ....................................................................................................................... 8 Geographic Distribution of Resources .......................................................................................................... 8 Households and Persons Assisted ............................................................................................................... 12 Racial and Ethnic Status of Households Assisted ................................................................................ 12 Outcome Measures........................................................................................................................ 12 Households Assisted According to Priority Need Category................................................................. 13 Summary of Resources Made Available .............................................................................................. 14 Assessment of Goals/Objectives – Actions Taken...................................................................................... 15 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing – Actions Taken ........................................................................... 17 Affordable Housing – Actions Taken ......................................................................................................... 22 Continuum of Care Narrative ...................................................................................................................... 23 Other Actions Indicated in the Action Plan – Actions Taken ..................................................................... 23 Support of Anti-Poverty Strategies ...................................................................................................... 23 Capacity-Building and Technical Assistance Activities ...................................................................... 25 Interagency Coordination and Collaboration ....................................................................................... 27 Addressing Weaknesses in the Housing Delivery System ................................................................... 30 Legislative Initiatives ........................................................................................................................... 31 Efforts to Reduce Lead-Based Paint Hazards....................................................................................... 32 Leveraging Resources ................................................................................................................................ 33 Other Supporting Activities ........................................................................................................................ 34 Limited English Proficiency ................................................................................................................. 34 Section 3 .............................................................................................................................................. 35 2010 CDBG Performance Report ............................................................................................................... 39 2010 ESG Performance Report ................................................................................................................... 47 2010 HOME Performance Report............................................................................................................... 52 2010 HOPWA Performance Report ............................................................................................................ 55 Public Participation .................................................................................................................................... 61 Self-Evaluation .......................................................................................................................................... 68 Translations of this Document .................................................................................................................... 68 Certifications .............................................................................................................................................. 68 3 Tables and Figures Table 1: North Carolina Housing Priorities Chart ................................................................................ 5 Table 2: Housing Resources by Funding Source and Administering Agency ........................................ 7 Table 3: Racial and Ethnic Status of Households or Persons Assisted - 2010 .................................... 12 Table 4: Investment of Resources and Persons Assisted ...................................................................... 15 Table 5: Investment by Program in Units/Developments Completed in 2010 (91.520(a)-(b)) ............ 45 Table 6: Persons Served by North Carolina ESG Grantees ................................................................ 50 Table 7: 2010 HOME Production, Summed by Program .................................................................... 53 Figure 1: 2010 Total Funding Distribution ........................................................................................... 9 Figure 2: 2010 CDBG Funding Distribution ....................................................................................... 10 Figure 3: 2010 HOME Funding Distribution ...................................................................................... 10 Figure 4: 2010 ESG Funding Distribution .......................................................................................... 11 Figure 5: 2010 HOPWA Funding Distribution .................................................................................... 11 Figure 6: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Grantees Reporting Fair Housing ................................................... 18 Figure 7: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Costs .......................................................................... 19 Figure 8: 2010 CDBG Fair Housing Activities Per Quarter ............................................................... 20 Figure 9: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Activity Per Quarter .................................................. 20 Figure 10: Section 3 New Hires/Trainees - 2010 ................................................................................. 36 Figure 11: Section 3 Construction/Non-Construction Contracts - 2010 ............................................. 37 Figure 12: Percentage of Grantees Section 3 Reporting - By Category .............................................. 38 4 Executive Summary The 2010 North Carolina Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (2010 NC CAPER) summarizes the accomplishments of four North Carolina agencies, each of whom receives a formula grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The four agencies are: North Carolina Department of Commerce, Community Investment and Assistance; North Carolina Housing Finance Agency; North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity; and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, AIDS Care Unit. These four agencies and their HUD-funded programs are working together to meet three goals for the good of North Carolinians. These three basic goals are: Provision of decent and affordable housing; Provision of a suitable living environment and Expansion of economic opportunity. Since 1999, the state has pursued a consolidated planning process that addresses the major housing and community development needs affecting North Carolina communities, determines priorities for addressing those needs, and lays out a strategy for using the resources available. Pursuant to the provisions of 24 CFR, Housing and Urban Development, Part 91, Performance Reports, the state has prepared the 2010 NC CAPER on its progress in implementation of the 2010 Annual Action Plan and the North Carolina Consolidated Action Plan, 2006-2010. The four partnering entities received grants to provide housing and housing-related services; community and economic development assistance; and supportive services to low and moderate-income individuals and families; homeless individuals and families; and individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families. This document details the resources received and the programs used to improve the lives and living conditions as well as education, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for North Carolina’s poorest citizens during the 2010 calendar year. Summary of Housing Needs Every five years, for the benefit of HUD, our partnering agencies, and the public, the State prepares a five-year housing strategy outlining North Carolina’s plans for meeting housing and community development needs. This cycle’s five-year strategy, called the North Carolina Consolidated Plan 2006- 2010, lays out the priority needs for North Carolina, which are based upon housing and population information captured from census data special tabulations, which yield the incidence of certain housing problems (overcrowding, inadequate plumbing facilities, cost burden, etc.) among the population. The five-year plan also sets the framework from which each year’s annual action plan can be drawn. The Annual Action Plan further details how the State will accomplish its five-year goals during annual program cycles. The needs listed below are those identified through the Consolidated Plan process through quantitative data, qualitative data, and numerous public meetings with major stakeholders and citizens across the state. Because the State cannot possibly meet all of the housing needs with its limited resources, when determining those priority needs it also considered strategic investment and the appropriateness of resources available to realistically meet the needs. Table 1 details the state’s housing priorities based 5 upon the Housing Market Analysis and Needs Assessment performed as part of the 2006-2010 Consolidated Plan. Table 1: North Carolina Housing Priorities Chart High Medium Low Homeless Persons Renters at 31-50% Renters at 51-80% Operating Costs for Homeless Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Providers Financing of New Construction Financing of New Construction Supportive Services Homeowners at 31-50% Homebuyers at 31-80% in areas Emergency Shelter Construction and Rehabilitation Comprehensive Rehabilitation Refinancing where needs are not met by the market Supportive Housing Individual Development Accounts Non-Homeless Persons with Special Needs** First and Second Mortgages Downpayment Assistance Rent Assistance Financing of New Construction Urban Supportive Housing Homebuyers at 51-80% in areas Operating Assistance where needs are not met by the Supportive Services market Renters at 0-30% Comprehensive Rehabilitation Rent Assistance Refinancing Homeless Prevention Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Homeowners at 0-30% Urgent Repair Comprehensive Rehabilitation Foreclosure Prevention Activities Homeless Persons Renters at 51-60% Renters at 51-80% Operating Costs for Homeless Providers Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Supportive Services Homeowners at 0-50% Homebuyers at 30-80% in areas Emergency Shelter Construction and Rehabilitation Comprehensive Rehabilitation for the Non-elderly where needs are not met by the market Supportive Housing Replacement Housing Individual Development Accounts Non-Homeless Persons with Special Needs** Refinancing Residential Water/Sewer First and Second Mortgages Downpayment Assistance Rent Assistance Infrastructure Financing of New Construction Supportive Housing Homebuyers at 51-80% Rural Operating Assistance Comprehensive Rehabilitation Supportive Services Refinancing Renters at 0-30% Residential Water/Sewer Rent Assistance infrastructure Homeless Prevention Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Homeowners at 0-30% Urgent Repair Comprehensive Rehabilitation Replacement Housing Foreclosure Prevention Activities Residential Water/Sewer Infrastructure (when danger to public health) ** Includes the following: Persons with Disabilities Low-Income Elderly Persons Persons with HIV/AIDS 6 Summary of Resources In 2010, the State assisted 56,395 households through four core programs, which funded the construction/rehabilitation of housing units, and provided assistance for home-buyer initiatives, rental assistance, and housing-related and homeless services. These four programs are: The State of North Carolina Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) These funds help local governments improve deteriorating residential neighborhoods, support public services, install water and sewer facilities for residential areas or to job-creating industrial sites, and provide loans or grants to large and small businesses. The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Community Investment and Assistance department administers CDBG funds for community development activities, while funds for economic development activities are administered by the North Carolina Commerce Finance Center. In 2010, North Carolina received $48,942,431 for the State of North Carolina CDBG program. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) HOME funds help local governments, nonprofit organizations, and developers build or improve affordable housing and provide rental assistance and affordable second mortgages. HOME is administered by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency. This year the N.C. Housing Finance Agency received $21,658,906 in resources through the HOME program. The State’s General Assembly appropriated $1,527,996 in public, nonfederal funds to match the federal HOME funds. The Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESG) These funds help local governments and nonprofit organizations support emergency shelters and transitional housing for the homeless, provide essential services, and prevent homelessness. ESG is administered by the Office of Economic Opportunity in the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2010, the State received $2,563,980 in resources through the ESG program. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) HOPWA funds help local health departments, non-profit community based organizations, housing authorities, AIDS service organizations and other interested provider agencies meet the housing needs of persons living with AIDS or related diseases, and their families. The AIDS Care Unit in the Department of Health and Human Services administers the HOPWA Program. This past year the State received $2,685,680 in resources through the HOPWA program. These funds, along with other private and nonfederal resources, were available in 2010 to address program goals, priority needs, and specific objectives described in the 2010 Annual Action Plan. The table below summarizes the resources used in the state for affordable housing. 7 Table 2: Housing Resources by Funding Source and Administering Agency Name of Program Administering Agency Anticipated Funding for FY 10 (in $000s) Actual Funds Spent for FY 10 (in $000s) Program Directly Administered? Not administered directly, funds are distributed to… Federal Funds CDBG(1) State of NC Community Development Block Grant Program Community Investment and Assistance 48,942 85,616** No Units of local government in non-entitlement areas HOME Down Payment Assistance Program NCHFA 319 125 Yes HOME IDA Loan Pool Program NCHFA 1,065 180 Yes HOME New Homes Loan Pool Program NCHFA 2,485 838 Yes HOME Preservation Loan Program NCHFA 0 906 Yes HOME Rental Production Program NCHFA 5,478 2,469 Yes HOME Self-Help Housing Program NCHFA 4,970 5,030 Yes HOME Single-Family Rehabilitation Program NCHFA 5,680 4,825 No Units of local government, nonprofits and regional agencies HOME Supportive Housing Development Program NCHFA 0 1,316 Yes ESG*(2) Emergency Shelter Grants Program Office of Economic Opportunity 2,563 2,563 No Nonprofit organizations and units of local government HOPWA* Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program AIDS Care Unit 2,387 2,685 No HIV Regional Networks of Care which include nonprofit organizations, health departments and housing authorities Nonfederal Public Resources (State Funds) HOME Match and Other Funds Key Program (Operating Subsidy in partnership with DHHS) NCHFA 0 697 Yes (1) The CDBG funds in this table and this report are only those funds designated strictly for housing activities; CDBG funds used in the economic development, small business, infrastructure (excluding hook-ups), urgent needs, and capacity building categories are not included. Total dollar amounts are also exclusive of administration and technical assistance costs. (2) Must be used for shelter operations, client services and homeless prevention (3) Figure is equity generated, not credits allocated. * These programs have funding that must be used for a specific housing-related activity and/or must be targeted for specific populations (nondiscretionary funding). The other programs' funding may have income restrictions, but the types of housing activity and target population are not restricted (discretionary funding). ** Includes spending from prior funding allocations. 8 Distribution of Resources Each of the four participating agencies that comprise the CAPER receives funds from HUD. Following is a brief discussion of the distribution of these resources for the 2010 program year. Community Investment and Assistance Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) Approximately $49 million was committed to the State of North Carolina Community Development Block Grant program during 2010. After administrative support and technical assistance, $47, 374,158 was available for distribution statewide using competitive and non-competitive approaches. Due to the high unemployment rate, nearly $21 million (43.88%) was allocated statewide for eligible activities that support job creation and stimulation through a competitive process. Another $14.7 million (31.00%) was committed to housing related activities. The remaining $11.3 million (25.12%) was designated for capacity building, economic development, and other non-housing related activities. All unused funds were designated for housing-related and contingency projects. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (HFA) The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) In 2010, NCHFA invested HOME funds among six main activities: approximately $1.3 million, or 8% of the funding, was invested in supportive housing activities; $697,897 (8%) was invested in rental assistance for disabled populations; approximately $906,614 (6%) was invested in rental housing preservation activities ; approximately $4.8 million (29%) was invested in homeowner rehabilitation activities; approximately $2.46 million (15%) was invested in rental production activities, and approximately $6.17 million (38%) was invested in homebuyer activities. Office of Economic Opportunity Emergency Shelter Grants A total of $2,435,781 of the State���s FY 2010 ESG allocation, or ninety-five percent (95%), was awarded to nonprofit organizations and three units of local government operating a total of 138 shelters for the homeless in 50 counties. The remaining $128,199, or five percent (5%), was used for program administration. Eligibility for funding was determined through a pre-application review. Applicants meeting all program criteria were notified of their approved funding level and given a full application package. Grant agreements were executed in August and all program funds were disbursed. AIDS Care Unit Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) The HOPWA program’s annual allocation can be used over a period of three years from the date of receipt. $80,570, or three (3%), was set aside for grantee administration and $2,605,110, or ninety-seven percent (97%), was awarded to 11 Regional Networks of Care through a competitive process. These providers include nonprofit agencies, housing authorities and health departments that provide housing and related services to persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families. Geographic Distribution of Resources Each of the four programs has unique methods of geographic distribution. Funding for the Community Development Block Grant Program is directed to non-entitlement communities across the state. 9 Emergency Shelter Grant, HOPWA and HOME funds are distributed statewide. For the HOPWA program, the home county of the agency that received funds is shown on the map, even though that agency may serve multiple counties. It is not possible at this time to report the amount of HOPWA funds spent in each county that a multi-county agency serves. The following maps show the actual distribution of funds for the CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA programs during 2010. Figure 1: 2010 Total Funding Distribution 10 Figure 2: 2010 CDBG Funding Distribution Figure 3: 2010 HOME Funding Distribution 11 Figure 4: 2010 ESG Funding Distribution Figure 5: 2010 HOPWA Funding Distribution 12 Households and Persons Assisted Racial and Ethnic Status of Households Assisted The following table indicates the racial and ethnic groups of assisted households and persons. Table 3: Racial and Ethnic Status of Households or Persons Assisted - 2010 Race/Ethnicity Group CDBG HOME ESG HOPWA Totals Total Percentages American Indian/Alaska Native 190 7 444 29 670 1.06% Asian 74 14 129 10 227 0.36% Black/African American 6,967 207 24,590 2,325 34,089 53.75% White 4,035 143 19,970 889 25,037 39.48% Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 28 3 35 0 66 0.001% American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/ African American 2 1 0 0 3 <0.001% American Indian/Alaska Native and White 69 2 157 1 229 0.36% Asian and White 4 0 129 0 133 0.002% Black/African American and White 49 8 0 6 63 0.001% Asian/Pacific Islander 0 5 0 0 5 <0.001% Other Multi-Racial 205 20 1,584 42 1,851 2.92% Unknown Race 14 749 282 0 1,045 1.65% Totals 11,637 1,159 47,320 3,302 63,418 Hispanic 83 23 1,092 148 1,346 2.12% Non-Hispanic 11,554 388 46,228 3,154 61,324 96.70% Unknown Ethnicity 0 748 0 0 748 1.18% Totals 11,637 1,159 47,320 3,302 63,418 Outcome Measures1 Uniform performance measures have been developed by HUD. The Consolidated Plan partners have chosen appropriate performance measures for their specific programs. The following are the performance measures for North Carolina HUD-funded programs by agency, category, objective and outcome. 1 24 CFR 91.520(g) 13 Households Assisted According to Priority Need Category Community Investment and Assistance (CI) The Community Investment and Assistance (CI) assisted individuals and families through eight major funding categories: Community Revitalization, Scattered Site Housing, Infrastructure, Housing Development, Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance, Economic Development, and Urgent Needs/Contingencies. The eighth category called North Carolina Economic Recovery was a one-time category designed to assist with job creation and retention. Some funding categories comprise more than one grant category. Information on each grant category is provided in the CDBG Performance Report section of this grant. For clarification, categories specific to housing activities as discussed in the following sections include: North Carolina Economic Recovery, Community Revitalization, Scattered Site Housing, Infrastructure Hook-up, and Housing Development. CDBG grant categories that receive funding but have a broader community development focus include: Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Individual Development Accounts, Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance, Economic Development, and Urgent Needs/Contingencies. CI saw continued success of the CDBG program in assisting low-to-moderate income persons through all program categories. CI provided direct housing assistance to approximately 12,700 households in 2010. Actual accomplishments met goals identified in the 2010 annual action plan in most categories. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) NCHFA invests HOME and HOME Match funds in homebuyer assistance, rental production, rental rehabilitation, rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing, development of supportive housing for persons with disabilities and homeless people, and rental assistance for people with disabilities. In general, 2010 NCHFA completed more units than were originally projected. For the most part, this can be attributed to the Key rent assistance program. The Key program, which has been nationally recognized, saw an increase in units assisted and this will continue as more targeted units are completed. PLP and SHDP also funded more units than projected because of projects that originally slated for completion in 2009 were placed in service in 2010. Offsetting this, however, NCHFA’s homebuyer programs and rental production did see fewer units placed in service as the housing market is still recovering. Although all homebuyer assistance activity is low priority according to the 2006-2010 Strategic Consolidated Plan, the Agency is pleased to be serving households with very modest incomes; the average household income in the units funded with HOME in 2010 was approximately $28,362. In addition to using HOME, the Agency uses other funding sources to serve lower incomes through non-homeownership activities. It relies on a blend of state funding to serve these high-priority populations like the Housing Trust Fund. Office of Economic Opportunity Outcome --> Availability/ Accessibility Affordability Sustainability Suitable Living Environment Decent Housing Creating Economic Opportunities Objective --> 14 32,609 single family adults, 507 children, 5,142 homeless families comprise 5,182 adults and 9,022 children (14,204 adults and children) sought assistance from 138 homeless shelter facilities in 50 counties. Approximately ninety-four percent (94%) of FY 2009 ESG funding was used to pay operating expenses (i.e., rent, utilities, supplies/materials, equipment and administrative costs). Approximately three percent (3%) of the funding was used to provide essential services such as counseling, transportation, health care, housing referral, employment and/or education services. Approximately three percent (3%) of funding was used to provide homeless prevention services that include short-term subsidies to defray rent and utility arrearages, security deposits or first month’s rent payments. The remaining five percent (5%) of FY 2009 ESG funding was used for program administrative costs incurred by the Office of Economic Opportunity. AIDS Care Unit The HOPWA Program assisted more than 2,400 persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families through the following programs: Tenant-based rental assistance program; Short-term rent mortgage and utility program; Supportive service; Resource identification; Housing information; and Operating Cost for family care homes. The 2004 statewide HOPWA needs assessment indicated the need to increase permanent housing; consequently, tenant-based rental assistance increased from 268 units in 2009 to 347 units in 2010. Summary of Resources Made Available2 In 2010, the State of North Carolina invested CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA funding to assist 56,395 households throughout the state and the various programs. Additional allocation of resources can be found in the individual agency program reports. CDBG and HOME funds were used primarily to produce or rehabilitate housing, provide homebuyer assistance, and develop infrastructure required for housing development. ESG funds were used to provide shelter, essential services and homeless prevention activities to homeless individuals and households. HOPWA funds were used to assist households and individuals with housing related services in both short and long-term tenant-based rent assistance. 2 24 CFR 91.520(a) 15 Table 4: Investment of Resources and Persons Assisted Goals by Activity Type - §91.320(g) Activity Type Actual Household Assisted Actual Funding in $000s Rental Assistance 2,852 $2,748 Production of New Units 592 $9,856 Rehabilitation of Existing Units 166 $5,732 Acquisition of Existing Units 10 $105 Other Activities Not Specified Above 52,775 $88,052 Total 56,395 $106,493 Goals by Special Needs - §91.320(g) Need Type Actual Household Assisted Actual Funding in $000s Homeless 38,137 $2,435 Non-Homeless 15,284 $95,167 Special Needs 2,974 $8,891 Total 56,395 $106,493 Annual Objective by Priority - §91.320(c)(3) & §91.320(d) Actual Household Assisted Actual Funding in $000s High Priority Homeless Families & Individuals 38,137 $2,435 Non-homeless Persons with Special Needs 2,974 $8,891 Renters (Earning 0-30% of MFI in Urban Areas; or 0-50% of MFI in Rural Areas) 70 $434 Existing Homeowners (Earning 0-30% of MFI in Urban Areas; or Elderly Owners Earning 0-50% of MFI in Rural Areas) 98 Medium Priority Renters (Earning 31-50% of MFI in Urban Areas; or 31-50% of MFI in Rural Areas) 144 $1,234 Existing Homeowners (Earning 31-50% of MFI in Rural Areas; or Non-Elderly Earning 0-50% MFI in Rural Areas) 244 Lower Priority Renters (Earning 51-80% of MFI in Urban Areas; or 61-80% of MFI in Rural Areas) 130 $1,706 Existing Homeowners Earning 51-80% of MFI Potential Homebuyers Earning 30-80% of MFI whose needs are not met by the market 14,598 $91,793 Total 56,395 $106,493 Assessment of Goals/Objectives – Actions Taken The following is a list of the actions taken during the 2010 program year for each agency. Community Investment and Assistance CI saw continued success of the CDBG program in assisting low-to-moderate income persons with housing and infrastructure improvements. CI provided direct housing assistance to approximately 12,700 households in 2010. Encapsulating all of CI’s programs to include infrastructure, urgent needs, and other community development activities, households were provided assistance ranging from clean drinking water, improved public services, financial literacy training to help lift them out of poverty, employment 16 possibilities that were non-existent prior to the business moving to where they lived, and access to medical and dental care that was previously unobtainable. Actual accomplishments met goals laid out in the 2010 annual action plan in most categories. However, due to the rising costs of construction, it remains difficult for CI and its grantees to continue to provide necessary services at past funding levels. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency Home ownership programs: Status: The Agency assisted 317 households through its FirstHome program and 321 households through its MCC program in 2010. The Agency financed 86 homes under the New Homes Loan Pool, 203 under the Self-Help Loan Pool, and 15 under the IDA Program using HOME and NSP funds. The Agency served 110 homeowners through its Single Family Rehabilitation program and assisted approximately 585 homeowners under the Urgent Repair Program, using Housing Trust Fund monies. To operate Rental production programs: Status: The Agency awarded tax credits for projects that will assist 2,384 households. The Agency awarded $15.6 million in Rental Production Program loans in 2010, which will be leveraged with state and federal tax credits to assist in the production of more than half of those affordable units. In 2010, the Agency also awarded funding for supportive housing projects that will create 517 units. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) To ensure the provision of emergency and/or transitional housing, essential services, and/or homeless prevention services to approximately 32,995 homeless individuals and 5,142 homeless families. It is anticipated that over 97 nonprofit organizations and three units of local government operating over 114 emergency and/or transitional facilities in 48 of the state’s 100 counties will be funded in FY 2010 To continue its involvement with the North Carolina Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs (ICCHP). Status: In 2010, OEO continued its participation in activities of the ICCHP by serving as a member agency of the Council. To work with the ICCHP to implement strategies and policies outlined in the state’s ten-year plan to end homelessness in North Carolina. Status: As a member agency of the ICCHP, OEO provided input into the implementation of strategies and policies developed by the Council. AIDS Care Unit To provide additional resources and research on funding opportunities for project sponsors through regularly scheduled HOPWA planning meetings. 17 Status: HOPWA Project Sponsors were informed of additional funding through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Project Sponsors were provided information regarding how to apply for funding made available through the state’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid ReHousing Program (HPRP). ACU have four regularly planned meetings during the contract year. To review internal processes for making funding decisions and planning new initiatives. Status: The state of North Carolina has transitioned from the Consortium Model to the Patient Management Model for funding HIV care services with Ryan White Part B and HOPWA funds. This new system for funding HIV care will improve the health status of persons living with HIV infection in North Carolina by providing a safe, decent and affordable place to live. To hold training workshops on current trends in HIV housing. Status: ACU is working with North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to train HOPWA project sponsors on becoming referrals sources for the KEY program. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing – Actions Taken The text below highlights the activities the state agencies undertook to implement the 2010 Annual Action Plan. Community Investment and Assistance Under the 1983 Amendments to the Housing and Community Development Act, recipients of Community Development Block Grant funds must implement activities to affirmatively further fair housing. As part of the 2010 Annual Performance Report (APR) process and documenting AFFH efforts, CI required grantees to submit a record of their quarterly fair housing activities and associated costs. Ideally, these quarterly activities reported in the APRs match activities present in the approved fair housing plans. When our organization approves fair housing plans, we instruct grantees that they can repeat activities while a grant is active, they cannot not conduct the same fair housing activity in consecutive quarters. As shown in figure below, of the 212 CDBG grantees and 24 CDBG-R grantees required to submit an APR for 2010, roughly 70% or greater reported fair housing activities. Some grantees are not required to conduct activities in certain quarters since there was no active grant in that quarter. 18 Figure 6: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Grantees Reporting Fair Housing Of the grantees that reported estimated and actual costs of those quarterly activities, the costs average to about $80 to $110 per quarter (see figure below). Higher costs are in the 2nd and 3rd quarters possibly due to the fact that grantees tend to reevaluate fair housing processes at the beginning and end of years or request free fair housing information from the NC Human Relations Commission (NCHRC). 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% FHQ1E FHQ1A FHQ2E FHQ2A FHQ3E FHQ3A FHQ4E FHQ4A Percent Estimated and Actual Reporting Costs per Quarter Reporting NR NA 19 Figure 7: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Costs The variety of quarterly activity was aggregated into different categories, such as dissemination of pamphlets, adopting a plan, conducting a public hearing or advertising in the local newspaper. The following figures illustrated the percentages of activities conducted per quarter for CDBG and CDBG-R grantees. From the graphs presented, the top activities conducted were distributing pamphlets, newspaper advertisements, and requesting information from NCHRC. The ―Other‖ category represents activities conducted that were unique to an individual grantee and did not fit in well with other established categories. Distribution of pamphlets is a broad category that includes but is not limited to, such locations and entities as banks, realtors, post offices, grocery stores, lenders, churches, and other public organizations. 87.76 114.12 104.78 81.27 83.96 98.02 109.18 80.82 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 FHQ1 FHQ2 FHQ3 FHQ4 Dollars Quarters Average Estimated Average Actual 20 Figure 8: 2010 CDBG Fair Housing Activities Per Quarter Figure 9: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Activity Per Quarter 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% FHQ1% FHQ2% FHQ3% FHQ4% Percent Activity Quarters Adopt Plan Distribute Pamphlets (various) Info in Government Admin Hall/Offices N/A Newspaper Advertisement NR Other Public Hearings Radio/TV PSA Realtor/Housing Distribution List Reassess Strategy Request NCHRC info Survey Utility Bill Info Website Workshop 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% FHQ1 FHQ2 FHQ3 FHQ4 Percent Activity Quarters Adopt Plan Distribute Pamphlets (various) Info in Government Admin Hall/Offices N/A Newspaper Advertisement NR Other Public Hearings Radio/TV PSA Realtor/Housing Distribution List Reassess Strategy Request NCHRC info Survey Utility Bill Info Website Workshop 21 Newspaper advertisements, which can be costly, are more commonplace than utilization of free Public Service Announcements via radio and televisions media. Information in governmental and administrative buildings generally consisted of fair housing posters and replenishment of pamphlets and brochures. In October 2010 a new guidance bulletin issued to grantees requiring at least one workshop be conducted as a quarterly activity, hence an increase in frequency of workshops was seen in the last quarter of 2010. It is surprising that with increased availability and public use of technology such as the internet, more local governments did not post more fair housing information on their local websites. In general, it is concluded that distribution of pamphlets and newspaper advertisements, while valid activities, dominate the public outreach and education processes for grantees to affirmatively further fair housing. It is recommended that grantees evaluate the methods they take and cater to the local target areas in conducting public outreach and education to AFFH to see if pamphlets are effective as they intend to be. In addition, if they have not done so already, all grantees need to ensure that they also follow Title VI of the Civil Rights Act regulation and reach out to those individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in fair housing materials. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency will continue to (1) distribute its Elderly Housing Rights and Consumer Protection Program information brochures, (2) provide Fair Housing training in conjunction with its Housing Credit Program Compliance and Service Coordinator workshops, and (3) publish Spanish translations of its FirstHome and MCC Program information. Status: The Agency continued all of these activities in 2010. The Agency has continued to distribute its Elderly Housing Rights and Consumer Protection Program information brochures through its partners. HFA continued to provide Fair Housing training as a part of its Rental Production Program (RPP) Training and Tax-Credit Compliance Training events which were held nine times in 2010. The Agency also continues to provide Reverse Mortgage Training for housing counselors across the state. The Agency also continued to operate the Spanish language version of its website, on which translations of FirstHome and MCC program brochures, as well as information about other Agency activities, were made available to the Spanish-speaking population. The website had accumulated over 94,000 visits by the end of 2010. All developers of affordable rental housing financed by the Agency are required to develop and implement Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans, which are reviewed by the Agency for effectiveness and proper implementation. Projects receiving HOME loans must certify that they have developed and adopted affirmative marketing procedures for HOME-assisted housing containing five or more units. Status: The Agency continued to successfully carry out this function during 2010. The Agency will publicize the availability of its updated guide published in October 2005 and reprinted in April 2006 and in 2008: ―Fair Housing for Tenants with Disabilities; Understanding Reasonable Accommodations and Reasonable Modifications‖. Status: The Agency continues to make this guide available on its website, and distributes it to attendees of its RPP and LIHTC trainings. In addition, their partners in this effort distribute the guide to attendees of their series of Fair Housing trainings across the state. 22 The Agency will work more closely with partners to educate homebuyers, increase the supply of affordable housing, provide assistance with down payment and closing costs and offer financial options. Status: The Agency’s Home Ownership Business Group will continue working with the Real Estate Commission and other partners to provide classes for real estate professionals and other lenders and mortgage professionals. The Agency is also working to provide funds for the rehabilitation of REOs to its partners as well as downpayment assistance for REOs. AIDS Care Unit The Unit will continue to expand the Tenant Based Rental Assistance program, which is designed to increase housing choice for low-income persons with AIDS and their families. Status: ACU encourages their funded agencies to establish and maintain relationships with landlords and local housing community with the goal of placing clients into units. Fair Housing pamphlets, sample letters for reasonable accommodations and other fair housing information is made available to funded agencies. Affordable Housing – Actions Taken Community Investment and Assistance CI focuses on increasing the supply of affordable housing and the quality of housing to ensure affordability. CI accomplishes this primarily through the Housing Development category and the Scattered Site Housing Program. Through the Housing Development category, CI supports new construction rental and homeownership activity. CI awarded $1.0 million in CDBG funds for Low- Income Housing Tax Credits projects. CI also provided grants to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency’s Rental Production Program applicants to further reduce housing costs to reach lower income households. In the Scattered Site Housing category, CI focused on rehabilitation and reconstruction of moderate to severely deteriorated housing. CI awarded $8.2 million in this category that is limited to households at or below 50% of area median income. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency that provides financing through the sale of tax-exempt bonds and management of federal and state tax credit programs, the federal HOME Program, the state Housing Trust Fund, and other programs. What we offer Using these resources and its own earnings, the Agency: offers low-cost mortgages and downpayment assistance for first-time home buyers; finances affordable homes and apartments developed by local governments, nonprofit organizations, and private owners; finances the development of housing for people with special needs; finances the rehabilitation of substandard owner-occupied homes; and 23 administers HUD rent assistance contracts for 25,000 privately owned apartments statewide. Continuum of Care Narrative Community Investment and Assistance CI ensures that numerous programs by continuum of care agencies requesting certificate of consistency certification are consistent with the state consolidated plan which states: “The state realizes it cannot meet all of the housing need, but it can strategically invest its limited resources to alleviate important housing problems for North Carolina’s households. The state has three basic goals: 1. To provide decent and affordable housing 2. To provide a suitable living environment 3. To expand economic opportunity The primary means through which these goals are achieved is the provision of affordable housing. Each agency operates programs that help to fulfill these goals, while meeting housing and service-related needs statewide.” As part of the transparency, any agency that is receiving funding from other State agencies will also be reviewed by those State agencies as well. In 2010, CI certified 24 public housing authorities and other agencies seeking HUD funds as identified in the SuperNOFA. Other Actions Indicated in the Action Plan – Actions Taken Each of the four state agencies undertook additional actions to further the housing and support services goals of their organizations in the following areas: Anti-Poverty Strategies; Capacity Building and Technical Assistance; Coordination and Collaboration; Housing Delivery Systems; Legislative and Public Policy Initiatives; and Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction. Support of Anti-Poverty Strategies Community Investment and Assistance To target investments toward distressed rural areas and high priority small cities through the Commerce Department’s 21st Century Communities Initiative, Urban Progress (UP) and Agrarian Growth (AG) Zones, and distressed counties. Status: CI continued to target investments toward distressed, rural communities. A fifth round of 21st Century Communities was announced for the period of 2009-2010. These communities include the counties of Alexander, Camden, Clay, Nash, and Scotland. 24 Within the Housing Development category in 2010, preference was given for rental housing developments that were: (1) within local governments from Tier 1 or Tier 2 counties, (2) projects in Urban Progress and State Agrarian Zones, and (3) local governments in 21st Century counties. The Community Revitalization program was awarded in 2010. The program allowed for a holistic approach to community and economic development by enabling local governments to address multiple needs in high poverty areas. This category provides flexible multi-year funding to help alleviate poverty and carry out a long-term, sustainable revitalization strategy in selected targeted neighborhoods. Activities such as housing and self-sufficiency counseling, job training, and down payment assistance helped residents of target areas pull themselves out of poverty. Community Revitalization communities are required to be located in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 county. Also in 2010, CI introduced the North Carolina Economic Recovery Program. The program focused on projects located in non-entitlement areas of the state with high unemployment rates. The program allowed local governments to address housing, infrastructure, public service, and public facilities needs. To support development of soundly designed affordable rental and single-family housing in appropriate settings. Status: In 2010, CI continued to use smart growth guidelines in the Housing Development Category. These guidelines are designed to stimulate high quality, sustainable development in LMI neighborhoods throughout the non-entitlement areas of the state. The guidelines incorporate sound development practices while balancing environmental protection with the economic needs of builders and future homeowners. To receive housing development funds subdivisions had to meet the following minimum requirements: (1) be connected to public water and sewer, (2) be located in or near an existing community, (3) have streets that met NCDOT standards and connected to public streets, (4) all cul-de-sacs had to be less than sixteen lots, (5) have a 30-foot buffer on each side of all perennial streams, and (6) include some open space in the development. In 2010, CI opened and award four multifamily developments using Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in the first round of the Housing Development category. To emphasize smart growth principles in CDBG program categories. Priority for funding will be given to projects that demonstrate design excellence, infill development, and more intense use of existing buildings in downtowns and nearby older neighborhoods. Status: CI continues to support proper new affordable rental and single-family housing through its Housing Development category. This increase in the stock of sound affordable housing improves the lives of hundreds of LMI residents across the state. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency will continue to finance supportive rental housing through the federal and state housing tax credit programs and through the Rental Production Program. Status: In 2010, the Agency awarded capital funds to finance the production of over 150 units of affordable housing targeted to persons with disabilities through its rental production programs. Through a combination of state and federal resources these units are able to receive operating subsidies, making them affordable to persons on Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Agency has partnered with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, who refer clients to these units, in order to ensure that these units remain fully utilized. 25 The Agency expects continued stability in its IDA home ownership initiative which includes providing matching funds and second mortgages to IDA participants who will be purchasing homes. The program serves households participating in any home ownership IDA program in North Carolina. Status: The Agency continued these activities in the IDA program. The Agency will continue funding transitional and permanent housing for the homeless and non-homeless persons with special needs through the Supportive Housing Development Program. Status: Through its regular Supportive Housing Development Program, the Agency awarded over $5 million dollars in 2010 to fund 517 units of supportive housing for persons with special needs and the homeless. Capacity-Building and Technical Assistance Activities Community Investment and Assistance CI will continue to implement the Capacity Building program for nonprofit organizations. Grants of up to $75,000 will be available to each organization. Nonprofit organizations that receive capacity building funds are expected to develop projects and apply for CDBG funding in partnership with their local governments within two years of award. Status: One Capacity Building grants was awarded in 2010. The award was made to the Town of Columbia. Technical Assistance funds will concentrate on developing the professional skills and capabilities of local community development grant administrators. CI and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill co-sponsor this professional certification program for administrators of CDBG grants. The Community Development Academy was held on March 8- 10, 2010 and April 5-7, 2010. Status: The Community Development Academy, offered for the eighth year in 2010, is provided technical assistance and certification to 31 students. The participants represented practitioners from the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. The Division has developed and is conducting workshops on a variety of topics that could include environmental review and CDBG basics. Status: The Division conducted targeted workshops in 2010 designed to provide technical assistance to eligible local governments and grant administrators. In addition to the Community Development Academy, which provides a week of comprehensive CDBG and community development classes, grant-specific workshops were held for the Scattered Site Housing and Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance Grant categories. A 2010 Community Revitalization workshop was held in the fall of 2010. Three rehabilitation workshops were held across the state, covering rehabilitation topics crossing multiple grant categories. In addition, CDBG staff spoke at numerous conferences and workshops to audiences about CDBG programs. A total of about 80 workshop participants attended CDBG workshops. CI also conducted webinars and conference calls on CDBG topics including fair housing, Language Access Plan, and grant application requirements. 26 North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency’s Home Ownership Business Group will continue working with the Real Estate Commission and other partners to provide classes for real estate professionals and other lenders and mortgage professionals. Status: The Agency continued to offer its courses in 2010. Forty-four courses were held throughout 2010, providing training for over 1,032 attendees. The Agency will continue to provide monthly lender training sessions throughout the state to educate mortgage professionals about the Agency’s below-market-rate loans, with and without down payment assistance. Status: During 2010, the Agency presented monthly seminars to lenders throughout the state to educate mortgage professionals about the Agency's financing programs, including down payment assistance. The Agency’s Rental Investment Business Group has statewide responsibility for Contract Administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development��s Section 8 Project-based Rental Assistance Program, which supports tenants in over 24,000 housing units in North Carolina. The Agency has partnered with Quadel Consulting Corporation to manage the contract administration duties. Rental development owners will receive ongoing technical assistance on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 8 regulations. Status: The Agency continued to partner with Quadel, who in 2010 administered more than $137 million in Section 8 project-based assistance statewide. The Agency’s Strategic Investment Business Group will continue to collaborate with the Advanced Energy Corporation (AEC) to train contractors and developers (both nonprofit and for-profit) in techniques of building high performance houses. In partnership with Advanced Energy, NCHFA encourages the development of SystemVision homes which are energy efficient. Status: The Agency completed 265 System Vision homes during 2010, and continues to collaborate with AEC to conduct these trainings. The Agency will continue to administer its fair housing and service coordinator trainings in conjunction with its rental investment programs. Designed for service coordinators, housing managers, supportive service providers, and others who work with the elderly or special needs residents, these workshops have covered topics that include aging, the basics of service coordination, legal issues and housing, and planning community wellness programs. Status: The Agency continued to provide this training as a part of its RPP Training and Tax- Credit Training. In 2010 these trainings were offered 9 times at multiple locations statewide. Office of Economic Opportunity The Office of Economic Opportunity continues to provide technical assistance to grantees by hosting an annual Emergency Shelter Grants Training. Grantees receive information regarding program administration including fiscal and programmatic reporting. In addition, staff provides weekly technical assistance to grantees via telephone and through electronic correspondences. Grantee receive technical assistance during on-site monitoring and as they participate in training initiatives offered by partners such as North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, HUD, and North Carolina ICCHP. 27 AIDS Care Unit The Unit will provide technical assistance workshops, planning meetings, and one-on-one technical assistance to assist organizations with resource development, with compliance, and in other program areas. Status: ACU continues to provide technical assistance to agencies. As a result of the Patient Management Model all funded agencies received initial site visits to review all documents for the HOPWA contract that constitutes the agreement between the Division and agency so as to ensure full understanding of terms and conditions by the agency staff for the program. The Unit will use and implement tools—such as demographic reports and annual reports for documenting information on statistics—to assist with improving communication with project sponsors, in order to clarify reporting expectations. Status: ACU HOPWA Demographic Report is used to capture data for the performance measurement tool established by HUD. Project Sponsors are required to submit a CAPER to the grantee. The Unit will continue to utilize technical assistance from the Supportive Housing Collaborative and from the HUD Project Officer to strengthen administration of North Carolinas HOPWA program. Status: In addition to technical assistance from the HUD Project Officer, we also received technical assistance from Collaborative Solutions, TA Consultants for North Carolina. Interagency Coordination and Collaboration Community Investment and Assistance CI will continue to work with other governmental and non-governmental groups such as the North Carolina Department of Labor, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and the North Carolina IDA and Asset Building Collaborative to support and fund IDA and other savings programs in the state. Status: CI continued strengthening interagency ties with various IDA programs and organizations. A staff member serves on the North Carolina IDA and Asset Building Collaborative Advisory Board. CI will continue to engage other state agencies and federal allies in funding priority projects in 21st Century Communities. Counties selected in the most recent round will continue to receive priority status in 2010. Status: These latest 21st Century Communities are the counties of Alexander, Camden, Clay, Nash, and Scotland. CI will continue to serve on statewide housing policy boards such as the Housing Coordination and Policy Council. 28 Status: CI continues to serve on various housing boards, including the Housing Coordination and Policy Council and the North Carolina IDA and Asset Building Collaborative Advisory Board. CI will continue to collaborate with state and local agencies such as the North Carolina Redevelopment Center and local emergency management and housing agencies on disaster relief projects as they arise. Status: CI continued to collaborate with state and local agencies to address disaster relief needs. CI will continue to review plans submitted by housing agencies and public housing authorities in order to certify consistency with the Consolidated Plan. Status: CI continued to review plans for consistency with the Consolidated plan submitted by housing agencies and public housing authorities. CI certified 24 plans in 2010. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency is partnering with the U.S. Treasury Department, state Employment Security Commission, Commissioner of Banks and local housing counseling affiliates in the NC Foreclosure Prevention Fund, with funding from the Housing for Hardest Hit States Initiative. Status: The Agency began working with these partners to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. The Agency has partnered with the Advanced Energy Corporation (AEC) of Raleigh, North Carolina for over 10 years and will continue this partnership, to train and assist local partners under three home ownership programs. AEC’s services will include providing low-income homebuyers with guarantees that their heating and cooling costs with not exceed a very low, set level (as low as $18/month). This broadens the window of affordability and enhances marketing effectiveness. Status: The Agency continued to partner with AEC to train and assist local partners. The Agency will continue as a member of the Interagency Coordinating Council for Homeless Programs (ICCHP). Status: The Agency continued to participate as a member in 2010. The State will continue its collaborative relationship with the Department of Labor by providing matching funds and second mortgages for participants in the Department of Labor’s IDA program. It will also broaden its support of IDA programs by developing partnerships statewide with other IDA programs. Status: The Agency continues to collaborate with the Department of Labor by providing matching funds and second mortgages to eligible households participating in NC DOL-funded IDA programs. The Agency plans to continue its collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, in its operation of the Self Help Loan Pool (SHLP). In the SHLP collaboration, the NCHFA and Habitat for Humanity jointly provide a primary mortgage to low-income homebuyers of Habitat for Humanity homes. 29 Status: In 2010, approximately $5.6 million in awards were made to assist 203 households in the Self Help Loan Pool. The Agency will continue its collaboration with Duke Energy, by facilitating energy-related home improvements for homeowners in the Duke Energy Service Area, using money provided to the Agency by Duke Energy. Status: In 2010, approximately $1.3 million in awards was made to assist 49 households in the Duke Help Program. The Agency will continue its partnership with the North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA), wherein it provides funding (along with local governments) to enable the NCHBA to offer construction training for a small number of underemployed residents in 3 cities. Status: In 2010, approximately $132,000 in awards was made to the Construction Training Program. The Agency will continue to fund the Displacement Prevention Partnership, which allows the Independent Living Program and the Lead Hazard Control Branch to assist households facing displacement due to mobility limitations or lead-paint poisoning, respectively. This Partnership will operate as a standalone program, separate from the Urgent Repair Program. Status: In 2010, approximately $1 million in awards was made to assist 372 households in the Displacement Prevention Program. The Agency works in close partnership with the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to administer the Key Program, providing operating subsidies so that persons with disabilities on Supplemental Security Income can have access to affordable housing. Lastly, the Agency works with the state Office of Economic Recovery and Investment (OERI) and DHHS to administer the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. The state of North Carolina was awarded $22 million to prevent homelessness and rapidly move homeless persons into housing. AIDS Care Unit The Unit will continue as an active participant on the Housing Coordination and Policy Council as well as the Inter-agency Council on Coordinating Homeless Programs. Status: ACU staff continued participating on the Housing Coordination and Policy Council and attended quarterly meetings of the Inter-agency Council on Coordinating Homeless Programs. The Unit will seek out opportunities to work with nonprofit organizations to provide services for those who are triply diagnosed (HIV/AIDS, mental illness and substance abuse issues). Status: The state of North Carolina has transitioned from the Consortium Model to a Patient Management Model for funding HIV care services with Ryan White Part B and HOPWA funds through this initiative we are working more effectively with nonprofit and medical providers to provide services for those who are triply diagnosed. ACU staff serves on the Department of Health and Human Services Housing Workgroup collaborating with representatives from the mental health and substance abuse programs. 30 The Unit will continue to collaborate with the other NC entitlement cities to ensure consistency among administration of the HOPWA Program. Status: ACU is collaborating with Wake County Human Services, Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium and Virginia Beach, VA (Currituck County) which administers HOPWA Programs in their respective MSA’s. Addressing Weaknesses in the Housing Delivery System During the past six years, the participating agencies have used human, financial and programmatic resources to increase available affordable housing stock for rent or purchase; fund community and economic development projects that created jobs and stimulated revitalization; as well as opportunities for business ownership; provide shelters and transitional housing; provide related services to homeless families and individuals, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families and other special needs populations. Although every effort is made to improve the collective quality of life for the state’s most vulnerable populations, budget constraints sometimes limit the scope and extent of existing programs and hinder development and implementation of new ones. Each of the participating agencies has highlighted their individual efforts to address weaknesses in the housing delivery system. Community Investment and Assistance CI has redesigned existing programs and developed new programs which offer more local communities opportunities to participate. The Department of Commerce through the Office of Rural Development continues to operate a Capacity Building program that tries to increase nonprofit participation in the CDBG Program/Process. The Division also considers its sponsorship of various training programs for nonprofits a strength because it helps to increase their ability to develop better housing projects. Weaknesses in housing delivery are tied in part to budget constraints. Status: CI also participated in training sponsored by the Council of State Community Development Agencies, COSCDA, including the CDBG Boot Camp and the annual National Conference, as well as training sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency has private activity volume cap sufficient to meet its 2010 homeownership goals. It offers a variety of mortgage loan products (FHA, USDA, and VA) and has 90 day interest rate guarantees. The Agency has provided mortgages to approximately 99% of the state’s counties with its mortgage products, and actively seeks to expand that coverage through product training and expansion of eligible new lenders. The Agency may also increase income and sales price limits as federal limits change subject to NCHFA Board Approval. Status: Income and sales price limits were approved by the HFA Board of Directors in 2010. The Agency will continue to provide application workshops and housing development workshops for organizations interested in developing supportive housing for individuals with special needs. Status: The Agency provided two workshops in 2010 for organizations interested in developing supportive housing. 31 The Agency will continue to strongly support various statewide housing trade associations such as the NC Community Development Association, the NC Community Action Association, the Professional Housing Rehabilitation Association of NC, the NC Association of CDCs, the NC IDA Collaborative, and the Interagency Council for the Coordination of Homeless Programs, etc. We will continue a balanced policy of serving on association boards and committees, serving as presenters at training conferences and providing gap financing for training efforts of mutual benefit, in an effort to assist those associations in their efforts to address weaknesses in the housing delivery system. Status: The Agency continued participating in these partnerships and associations in 2010. Agency staff participated on the boards of multiple organizations, and presented at many conferences around the state and the region. The Agency continues to make changes to the delivery of single-family rehabilitation assistance to rural areas. The SFR program, starting in 2010, is on a 3 year rotation, serving 33 counties every year. It is also now functioning as a pool program, similar to our homeownership loan pools, so that high performing partners will able to access more SFR funds when needed. Status: In 2010, the Agency awarded $6.4 million dollars to the SFR program. These funds will result in the rehabilitation of over 128 homes. AIDS Care Unit The Unit considers the experience of the HOPWA project sponsors to be a strength. However, the 7% cap on administrative costs covered by HOPWA is unworkable and too low, making it difficult for project sponsors to function without proper reimbursement for fulfilling increased administrative responsibilities and attending much needed training. As a way to overcome weaknesses in its housing delivery system the Unit’s review of internal processes recommended advocating for an increase to the 7% administrative cap in 2010, as opportunities become available. Status: HUD HOPWA regulations have a seven percent (7%) administrative cap for all eligible activities. ACU continue to encourage HOPWA project sponsors to leverage funding and seek other funding sources. Legislative Initiatives Community Investment and Assistance The Department of Commerce will advocate for stronger tools to attract investment, jobs and economic vitality to urban core areas. CI will continue to work with various state economic development agencies and stakeholders to define and produce new strategies that will enhance economic development opportunities in local communities. Status: CI created economic incentives packages increasing the amount of private investment and jobs in metropolitan areas. The North Carolina Department of Commerce will work to expand the Main Street program. Status: The Main Street Program added four towns in 2010 –Davidson, Garner, Kings Mountain, Roanoke Rapids. The Small Town Main Street program added six communities in 2010 – Catawba, Troy, Highlands, Plymouth, Murfreesboro, and Scotland Neck. 32 In light of recent budget cuts, the Division will work to strengthen State funding for the CDBG program. CI will educate legislators to the need for state financial support for community development initiatives in rural parts of North Carolina. Status: CI staff took advantage of several opportunities to educate legislators about the need for state financial support for community development initiatives in rural parts of North Carolina. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency plans to work to increase appropriations to the Housing Trust Fund and federal HOME Program match. Status: The General Assembly continued to fund the Housing Trust Fund with a $10 million recurring appropriation. The General Assembly appropriated $1,527,996 as partial matching funds for the federal HOME Program in 2010. The NC General Assembly appropriated $10.9 million in nonrecurring funds to the state’s Housing Trust Fund for the development of rental housing in fiscal year 2007, and $7.5 million in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2008. An additional $4.8 million in nonrecurring funds was appropriated to the state’s Housing Trust in 2009. This funding will result in over 1,100 units of housing for persons with disabilities affordable to those on Supplemental Security Income. No additional Housing 400 funds were appropriated in 2010. One of the Agency’s legislative initiatives has been to continue with the implementation of the Home Protection Program, a program initiated by the General Assembly. This has been replaced by the Mortgage Protection Program, part of the NC Foreclosure Prevention Fund. Status: The Home Protection Program will be part of the larger foreclosure prevention initiative that began in 2010. NCHFA was awarded approximately $482 million from the federal government to administer the federal Hardest Hit program. The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency will use the Hardest Hit Program funds to help North Carolinians who have suffered job loss or other financial hardships to save their homes from foreclosure, similar to the Home Protection Program. Many of the same local counseling agencies that have delivered Home Protection loans will help deliver the new program. Home Protection Program loans will continue to be available statewide while the Hardest Hit programs are being phased in, between October 2010 and September 2011. Most of the new funds will be used to make mortgage payments for unemployed workers while they seek jobs or complete job training in a new field. Others who, through no fault of their own, have gotten behind on their mortgage payments will be eligible for assistance while they get back on their feet. Efforts to Reduce Lead-Based Paint Hazards Community Investment and Assistance CI will continue to encourage local units of government to be involved with lead-based paint removal programs. Furthermore, CI will encourage local governments to work with agencies that are established primarily to mitigate lead-based paint conditions and provide for its removal, as well as address other environmental concerns. Status: CI provided technical assistance for lead-based paint hazards throughout the year through one-on-one technical assistance. 33 North Carolina Housing Finance Agency All HOME-funded programs will continue to be in compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development lead regulations (25 CFR Part 35). Status: The Agency continued to comply with the lead regulations set forth by 25 CFR Part 35. The Agency will continue to participate in a quarterly, ad hoc lead hazards advisory group made up of concerned individuals from the public health, environmental protection, affordable housing, and occupational safety sectors. Status: Agency staff members continue to attend these quarterly meetings. Using Housing Trust Fund funding set-aside through the ―Displacement Prevention Partnership Program‖, the Agency will offer funding for lead referrals whose situation may be more appropriately handled through Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR’s) Preventative Maintenance Program. Funds are provided as grants to the homeowners to pay for cleanup and stabilization activities as prescribed by DENR’s regional lead specialists. ―Households with a child under the age of six whose health is threatened by the presence of lead hazards‖ are also an eligible special needs category for SFR. No longer do children need to be lead poisoned or have any lead in their blood. We also will use our SFR Pool Members to respond to lead referrals. Status: Funds continue to be available for lead referrals. Over 350 homes were served through DPP in 2010 AIDS Care Unit Project Sponsors are required to document that all clients receiving housing assistance are made aware of the danger of lead base paint. Project Sponsors distribute a lead based paint fact sheet to clients receiving HOPWA services. Leveraging Resources Community Investment and Assistance The North Carolina Department of Commerce leverages CDBG dollars with private and public resources. The leverage resources are in the following program areas: Economic Development: Leverage is provided in the form of both private and public funds for economic development projects. Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance: SBEA allows local governments to assist local for-profit businesses that are willing to create or retain jobs. Although not mandatory, SBEA project companies bring private resources to the project in order to meet program goals. Projects awarded in 2010 using the 2009 allocation leveraged $1.91million. Infrastructure Program: In the Infrastructure Program, CI requires a five percent match from local governments. Housing Development Program: HD projects bring in non-CDBG resources from major financial institutions in exchange for receiving the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Additionally, the developers bring in private equity and other private and public resources. 34 North Carolina Housing Finance Agency NCHFA fosters the production of decent affordable housing by providing HOME funds for helping acquire and/or construct multifamily and single family projects. NCHFA leverages HOME dollars with private, public and non-profit resources that are spread over multiple projects statewide. NCHFA works to leverage resources through coordinating existing programs such as the Low-income housing tax credit program and Down payment assistance program, among others. Low income housing tax credits: Major financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and government-sponsored enterprises make equity investments in exchange for receiving the tax credits. Equity from the sale of tax credits reduces the amount of debt financing that the property owner incurs. The owners are eligible to take a tax credit equal to approximately 9% of the ―Qualified Cost‖ of building or rehabilitating the property (excluding land and certain other expenses). Down payment assistance: NCHFA also helps put first-time homebuyers in homes by providing down payment assistance to homebuyers who meet a certain set of income and credit qualifications. Home buyers who need help with down payment and closing cost may qualify for interest-free, deferred second mortgages up to $8,000. They may also qualify for larger second mortgage through the Agency’s three loan pool programs, thus leveraging nonprofit, Habitat, or private lender financing. Other Supporting Activities Limited English Proficiency Community Investment and Assistance The purpose of this Policy and Plan is to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable federal and state laws and their implementing regulations with respect to persons with limited English proficiency (LEP). Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on the ground of race, color or national origin by any entity receiving federal financial assistance. Administrative methods or procedures, which have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination or defeating the objectives of these regulations, are prohibited. In order to avoid discrimination on the grounds of national origin, all programs or activities administered by the local unit of government must take adequate steps to ensure that their policies and procedures do not deny or have the effect of denying LEP individuals with equal access to benefits and services for which such persons qualify. This Policy defines the responsibilities the agency has to ensure LEP individuals can communicate effectively. These requirements will apply to the agency including subcontractors, vendors, and sub-recipients. The agency will ensure that LEP individuals are provided meaningful access to benefits and services provided through contractors or service providers receiving sub-grants from the agency. A. Limited English Proficient (LEP) individual – Any prospective, potential, or actual recipient of benefits or services from the agency who cannot speak, read, write or understand the English language at a level that permits them to interact effectively with health care providers and social service agencies. The Division’s goal for Title VI regulatory enforcement is to achieve voluntary compliance. The requirement to provide meaningful access to LEP persons is enforced and implemented by DOC through 35 the procedures identified in the Title VI regulations. These procedures include complaint investigations, compliance reviews, efforts to secure voluntary compliance, and technical assistance. CI approved 98 Language Access Plans for FY 2010, and local governments have successfully provided the information to comply with Title VI. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000(d) and Executive Order 13166 require that recipients of federal funds take responsible steps to ensure meaningful access by persons with limited English proficiency (LEP persons). The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) is a recipient of federal funds for a portion of its programs and thus obligated to reduce language barriers that can preclude meaningful access by LEP persons to NCHFA’s programs. NCHFA’s four factor analysis revealed a significant Spanish speaking population. In response to this, NCHFA has had a Spanish version of its website available since 2007 and has vital documents available in Spanish as well as program brochures and materials. I n addition, NCHFA has staff members whom are bilingual in English and Spanish who can translate if needed. Furthermore, upon request, NCHFA will provide oral interpretation and/or written translation in other languages. Because virtually all assistance is provided by NCHFA’s partners, all applicants/sub-grantees will be required to comply with Title VI and its accompanying regulations. All organizations receiving federal funds will provide their Language Access Plans to NCHFA, which will involve each organization conducting a four factor analysis. NCHFA will review each plan for compliance. NCHFA will assist agencies in finding appropriate translation resources and disseminate translated HUD notices, brochures, and other documents. NCHFA has implemented its Agency Language Assistance Plan (LAP) and shall monitor the implementation of its LAP, making revisions to policies and procedures as may be required periodically. Section 3 Community Investment and Assistance Based on the Section 3 reporting and compliance determinations which indicates minimum numerical goals set forth at 24 CFR Part 135.30. Specifically: 1. Thirty percent (30%) of the aggregate number of new hires shall be Section 3 residents Community Investment and Assistance (CI) is reporting 37% (see below) of new hires that are Section 3, meeting the goal required by HUD to comply the responsibilities pursuant to Section 3. New hires towards Section 3 included professionals, technicians, office/clerical and others including general construction, operators, drivers and carpenters. CI will keep reinforcing the incorporation of the Section 3 clause into all covered solicitation and contracts and assisting and dynamically cooperating with the agencies in making contractors and subcontractors comply. 36 Figure 10: Section 3 New Hires/Trainees - 2010 2. Ten percent (10%) of the total dollar amount of all covered construction shall be awarded to Section 3 business concerns. CI is reporting 2 % (see below) of dollar amount to Section 3 business from construction contracts. After several efforts which included attempted to register business through: signs prominently displayed at the project site, contracts with the community organizations and public or private agencies operating within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the Section 3 covered program or project is located; participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the award of contracts to business concerns which meet the definition of Section 3 business concerns, and agencies contacted to obtain new data to register business and Coordinator under Section 3, the Division was unable to meet the goal FY 2010. The majority of the amounts awarded towards Section 3 were dedicated to construction contracts. CI will contact local agencies to inform sub-recipients about the requirements of Section 3, offering workshops and one to one support to grantees. CI will assist sub-recipients and their contractors in how to comply with section 3 and to report on an annual basis. 37% 63% 3% New Hires that are Section 3 Reported Number of Section 3 Trainees Reported Number of New Hires reported 37 Figure 11: Section 3 Construction/Non-Construction Contracts - 2010 3. Three percent (3%) of the total dollar amount of all covered non-construction contracts shall be awarded to Section 3 business concerns. CI is reporting 1% (see above) of the amount for non-construction contracts for section 3 business. After several efforts which included attempted to register business through: signs prominently displayed at the project site, contracts with the community organizations and public or private agencies operating within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the Section 3 covered program or project is located; participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the award of contracts to business concerns which meet the definition of Section 3 business concerns, and agencies contacted to obtain new data to register business and Coordinator under Section 3, the Division was unable to meet the goal FY 2010. CIA will contact local agencies to inform sub-recipients about the requirements of section 3, offering workshops and one to one support to grantees. CIA will assist sub-recipients and their contractors in how to comply with section 3 and to report on an annual basis. Data entry The figure below shows that according to the data collected for 2010, 52% of the grantees reported signed construction contracts for 2010 which 3% was reported towards Section 3 businesses; 36 % of the grantees reported signed non-construction contracts for 2010 which 1% was reported towards Section 3 non-construction businesses and 9% reported number of new hires within the signed contracts, which 3% were section 3 new hires and 3% were section 3 trainees. From the grantees grant total, 58% of the grantees that reported on Section 3 did not sign any contracts for 2010. 2% 98% 1% 99% Total $ Construction Contracts 2010 Reported Dollar amount to Section 3 business Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts for section 3 Reported 38 Figure 12: Percentage of Grantees Section 3 Reporting - By Category North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The owner of each rental property with a HOME award greater than $200,000 is required to participate in Section 3 compliance from project-award to closing. NCHFA sends out the Section 3 Plan form with the final commitment letter along with directions on how to complete the form. This form is sent directly back to a contact person at NCHFA who reviews the submitted document. Owners and general contractors are then required to submit the section 3 Year-End Monitoring Report by 12/31 of each calendar year that the project is under construction or rehabilitation. Prior to the end of the grant period or closing, the owner is required to submit to NCHFA the Section 3 Summary Report. In 2010, NCHFA held training on Section 3 and MWBE for recipients of HOME funded RPP loans. 9% 3% 3% 52% 3% 3% 36% 1% 1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Number of New Hires reported New Hires that are Section 3 Reported Number of Section 3 Trainees Reported Total $ Construction Contracts 2010 Reported Dollar amount to Section 3 business Reported Number of Section 3 businesses Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts for section 3 Reported # of Section 3 Firms Used for Non- Construction Reported 39 2010 CDBG Performance Report In 2010, North Carolina received approximately $49 million in CDBG funds. Of this amount, $47,374,158 was made available for five programs described below. Community Investment and Assistance (CI) amended the 2010 Annual Action Plan to redirect programs to focus on stimulating the economy through job creation and retention. The state made these funds available through grants to non-entitlement governments statewide. NC CDBG Economic Recovery (NC CDBG ER) grants were made to the highest ranking communities among those applications that were submitted in June 2009 in a competitive process but not funded as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for CDBG funding. CI chose NC CDBG ER projects from a pool of applicants requesting funds from one of three categories. The categories include: Infrastructure, Housing, and Special Projects. Each project was required to meet a national objective and identify the creation and/or retention of jobs for the project. Infrastructure and public facility projects were expected to have a minimum 70 percent low and moderate-income benefit plus jobs. Housing projects were required to have a 100 percent low and moderate-income benefit plus jobs to every activity including housing. In addition, projects that address high unemployment areas of the state and are ―bid-ready‖ will received highest priority for funding. Accomplishments: Twenty six (26) Economic Recovery grants were recommended for award in the 2010 program year. Of the recommended projects 18 were housing; 4 public facilities including parks and neighborhood/senior centers; and 4 water and sewer infrastructure projects. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: The awards made in February 2010 totaled $14,037,004. Scattered Site Housing (SSH) grants are made to local county governments on a rotating basis to address housing needs of very low income families throughout the county. County governments can receive $400,000 every 3 years with funds targeted to very low-income homeowners for rehabilitation or replacement purposes. Counties submit a detailed plan that includes all interested municipalities within the county describing how funds will be distributed to meet housing needs. Scattered Site Housing applicants may request that up to ten percent of funds be set aside for local option to undertake emergency repairs or repair/replace on-site well and/or septic systems. Those counties that accomplish their goals and exhaust funds within two years are eligible to receive up to an additional $100,000 to continue activities allowed in the SSH category subject to funding availability. Selection criteria for Scattered Site Housing awards include: community need, community impact, project design, financial feasibility, distribution plan, and participation process. Accomplishments: Thirty-two (32) Scattered Site Housing (SSH) projects were submitted to CI in 2010 for distribution to communities in North Carolina, providing LMI households with safe, decent, sanitary housing either through rehabilitation or relocation. In addition, dilapidated homes were either cleared or improved through code enforcement measures, removing slum and blight from those neighborhoods. The total requests for CDBG funds were $12.6 million. Awards: To date, twenty one (21) SSH grants have been awarded from the 2010 program allocation. The awards were made in February 2010 using $8,200,000. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Economic Development (ED): This category will continue the policy of providing higher levels of funding to the most economically distressed areas of the state. The following considerations will be included for job creation and retention projects during the 2010 program year: 60% of the jobs created or 40 retained in a project must benefit persons qualifying as prior low and moderate income (LMI). Funding for Economic Development projects is based on the number of jobs to be created or retained and the level of distress in the community applying for the funds. Areas with higher distress rankings, based on the North Carolina Tier rating system, are eligible for more funds per job created. Additional CDBG funding per job is available for projects proposed to be located in a current 21st Century Communities as designated by the Secretary of Commerce. CDBG funds are granted to local governments for various types of infrastructure improvements to assist business expansion or retention. A local funding match of at least one dollar for every three CDBG dollars is required except for the 25 most distressed counties as ranked for the Article 3J Tax Credits legislation and current 21st Century Counties. In a secondary priority to infrastructure projects and at the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce, direct financial assistance to private companies is available as loans to be negotiated by the local government applicant and a participating North Carolina commercial bank at a level not to exceed 50% of the bank loan. Repayment of the loan by the private company becomes program income to the State and is deposited into a CDBG economic development revolving loan fund (RLF). Funding from the RLF is available only as loans. Loans for industrial shell buildings are available from the RLF based on the projected number of jobs to be created and the level of distress in the community. These loans will be at a 2% interest rate with a maximum term of 5 years. Principle payments are deferred for the first two years of the loan. A dollar for dollar match is required by the local government applicant for an industrial shell building. Also, up to $500,000 will be set aside in the RLF for counties in Tiers 1-3 as loans to assist with the costs associated with certifying industrial sites. These grants are repaid after the certified site is sold or within five years of award. Funds are granted to local governments that propose a project in conjunction with a private for profit business that proposes to restore a vacant building to economic use resulting in the creation or retention of permanent, full-time jobs by the project company. To be eligible, documentation must be provided showing the building has been vacant thirty (30) consecutive days or more. CDBG funds for this category are limited to a maximum of $750,000 per unit of government per program year. The grant amount is calculated based on $20,000 per job for 3J Tax Credit eligible businesses and $12,000 per job for businesses not eligible for tax credits. CDBG funds provided to the company by the local unit of government will be in the form of a forgiven loan. The loan has a term of five years with no principal or interest payments. If the project company retains the jobs pledged in the loan agreement for the five year term, the entire amount is forgiven. Certain threshold requirements apply, including: $1.25 million cap for the yearly funding cycle, expenditure levels of open grants, and proper closeout of previous grants. Accomplishments: ED awards for grants and loans were made in 2010 by Commerce Finance Center. The awards were made to local governments who, working with private companies, will create or retain jobs for low-to-moderate income residents in their communities. The awards are expected to create or retain 1,285 jobs. Of this number, 818 are expected to be LMI. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: ED awards used $11,770,360 of the 2010 program allocation. Housing Development (HD) grants administered by CI will focus on the creation of multi-unit rental developments and provide support for homeownership activities for low and moderate-income families. Local governments in Tier 1, municipalities that have UP or AG zones, and 21st Century communities 41 will receive preference for HD funds. The HD allocation will be divided into two funding pools: Homeownership and Rental Housing. Threshold Requirements: In order to be rated for funding, each applicant must meet certain minimum requirements: demonstration of adequate capacity; have not applied for or received more than $1,250,000 cap; create 51% of all units for households below the area median income and maintain for 20 years; document other sources of funding; work with CBDO and complete an appraisal for projects with CDBG funded land acquisition. Selection Criteria: Applicants will be rated according to the following criteria: Project Design �� 85%; and Benefit to LMI Persons – 15%. In the event there are not enough funds to make an award to all applicants, the following will also be considered: cost effectiveness; sound growth principles; location of project; capacity; and project furthers Consolidated Plan priorities. For Tax Credits, the threshold requirements and selection criteria are the same. Only projects that are receiving tax credits for multi-unit rental developments through the NCHFA can receive these funds. Multi-unit Development: Funds will be provided for rental developments. Eligible uses of CDBG funds include installation of public infrastructure (water and sewer lines are automatically eligible for funding; streets, sidewalks and drainage may be funded on a case by case basis), the removal of hazardous material, acquisition of vacant land (by an eligible non-profit) or vacant historic buildings (by an eligible non-profit or for-profit developer), and certain rehabilitation activities (on a case-by-case basis). The maximum grant is $250,000 with a $6,000 per unit maximum. Accomplishments: Four (4) awards were made under the HD Tax Credit program in 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: Four (4) awards were made using $1 million of the 2010 program allocation. Single-family Housing: Funds will be available for assisting single-family housing developments up to $250,000. Eligible uses of CDBG funds include installation of public infrastructure (water, sewer, streets, sidewalks and drainage), the removal of hazardous material, and vacant land acquisition by an eligible non-profit or housing counseling. There is an $18,000 per unit assistance maximum for single-family projects. Accomplishments: CI opened the second round of HD in January 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, no awards have been made using the 2010 program allocation. Individual Development Account (IDA): These funds provide match for down payment assistance or closing costs to qualified first-time low and moderate-income homebuyers. The maximum funding is $70,000 per project and the program is non-competitive. IDAs are funded in 2010 by a $200,000 set aside from the HD line item and from de-obligated HD funds from previous years. IDA grants are available only for first-time homeownership. The grant cycle is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The application requires community-based partnerships with established track records and trusting relationships in serving disadvantaged constituencies. The following services must be provided to participants: credit reporting and counseling, financial literacy, homeownership education, and housing 42 counseling. Review criteria includes: organizational capacity, goals and objectives, and project feasibility/readiness. Accomplishments: CI opened the second round of HD in January 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, no awards have been made using the 2010 program allocation. Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBEA) funding assists local governments to jumpstart growth of existing small businesses, thus creating new jobs or retaining existing jobs (Note: Job retention is very narrowly defined by HUD and job retention projects must meet HUD’s criteria). This assistance must lead to the creation or retention of jobs primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons. The proposed project must also include a plan for creating an entrepreneurial environment in the community, one that would support and sustain continued economic development and job creation even after funding for this program has been expended. The SBEA program was designed to benefit LMI persons through job creation or retention. Funding eligibility is contingent upon the creation or retention of permanent, full-time jobs, at least 70% of which must be made available to persons earning 80 percent or less of the median income for the area within the previous 12 months. (For purposes of the CDBG program, LMI family income eligibility is determined from data published annually for the HUD Section 8 housing program.) To review the FY 2010 Income Limits for North Carolina, visit http://www.huduser.org/datasets/il.html. Accomplishments: CI received five (5) applications for SBEA in December 2010 for the 2010 CDBG program allocation. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, no awards have been made using the 2010 program allocation. The total SBEA requests for CDBG funds are $1,145,000 for the $1 million set-aside for this program. Contingency Grants may fund eligible projects to meet community development needs that 1) were not funded under a program category, or 2) for activities identified as high priority or special projects, subject to fund availability. Accomplishments: CI received sixteen (16) letters of interest and/or applications for Contingency in 2010. Most of the requests are for water and sewer infrastructure activities. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, one of the 16 had been awarded using the 2010 program allocation. The total award was $553,500 of CDBG funds to develop Pembroke Our House Perinatal Facility. 2009 and Additional Funding Impacting 2010 Program Performance In addition to the programs included in the 2010 CDBG amendment, other funds were available as a result of additional HUD allocations, recapture, reversion, or carry-over of prior year funds and program income. In 2010 through these sources, North Carolina used CDBG funds for the following five programs described below. 43 Community Revitalization: The Community Revitalization category provides grants to local governments to strengthen neighborhoods and rehabilitate homes of low- to moderate-income citizens. Awards are made on a competitive basis. Funds may be used for housing activities (rehabilitation, relocation, acquisition, clearance, and disposition), water and/or sewer installation or replacement, construction or upgrading of streets and drainage improvements. Accomplishments: CI funded 18 grants under the Community Revitalization (CR) category. The CR funds are distributed to communities in North Carolina, providing households with safe, decent, and sanitary housing, primarily through rehabilitation or relocation. New water or sewer lines were placed to connect these households to safe, clean drinking water and/or provide access to new public sanitary sewer lines. In addition, dilapidated houses were cleared removing slum and blighting conditions from those neighborhoods. Due to the late year awards, results will be reported in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: The 18 CI awards were made in September 2010. The total awards using 2009 CDBG funds were $15,739, 105. Infrastructure (IF) and Infrastructure Hook-ups (IFHU): The Infrastructure grant category enables local governments to provide new infrastructure (public water and/or public sewer) to existing residential neighborhoods to correct problems that pose a severe health or environmental risk or to improve existing infrastructure in existing residential neighborhoods. A sub-category, Infrastructure Hook-Up, connects LMI households that would otherwise be unable to afford the connection to existing water and/or sewer lines (not installed using CDBG funds). Accomplishments: Infrastructure funds were distributed to communities in North Carolina. Projects in this category installed more than 250,000 linear feet of new water and sanitary sewer lines. The Infrastructure Hook-Up program provided hook-ups for approximately 1,000 LMI households. Awards: In 2010, eleven (11) Infrastructure grants were made to local governments using $4,709,886 of the 2009 CDBG allocation and de-obligated funds from previous years. Eighteen (18) infrastructure hook-up grants were awarded using $1,190,130 in 2009 CDBG program allocation and previous year recaptured funds. Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance (SBEA): This was described in the previous section. Accomplishments: CI awarded five (5) applications for SBEA for the 2009 CDBG program allocation. Four were awarded in January 2010 and one late award in November 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: CI awarded $1,145,000 using the 2010 program allocation and made the late award using recaptured funds. Capacity Building (CB): The Capacity Building Grant Category is designed to encourage local governments to partner with an eligible local non-profit in developing future community development projects. The local unit of government serves as the grant applicant while the non-profit organization is the indirect recipient of funds. Ultimately, the capacity building grant is expected to result in a future CDBG application. Accomplishments: The Town of Columbia located in Tyrell County in conjunction with a local non-profit, was awarded a Capacity Building grant in November 2010 using recaptured funds. Awards: In 2010, CI awarded capacity building funds to 1 community. 44 Talent Enhancement Demonstration: The Talent Enhancement Demonstration grant (TEDG) is administered by the Office of Rural Development and designed to enable participating local units of government the opportunity to develop and build capacity in areas that will develop appropriate and competitive CDBG grants, administer CDBG grants, grant writing, economic impact analysis, community survey research and design, and feasibility study preparation. They will also be able to undertake an activity or activities that they have previously been unable to carry out. Accomplishments: There are seven participations in the TEDG program. The TEDG requires the local units of government to submit a CDBG application within 24 months of receiving the TEDG grant. This application must be in one of the CDBG eligible categories, feasible, realistic and have the foundation to succeed. This program was recommended for permanent status in 2010. Awards: The TED grants were awarded using 2009 CDBG funds and recaptured funds. The outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Program Measures In 2010, much of the Community Development Block Grant program focused on two goals outlined in the Commerce Department’s strategic plan: Building Stronger Communities and Creating Jobs through Sustainable Economic Development. State resources were focused on stimulating development in rural communities and some urban areas, which have not experienced positive growth. The following is an assessment of strategic actions undertaken during the reporting period to address the state’s community development priorities. The Community Investment and Assistance (CI) and its partner the Commerce Finance Center (CFC) continued to create jobs through sustainable economic development targeted to low-to-moderate income residents through a variety of programs. CI continued to address persistent poverty in rural communities and parts of urban areas of the state by putting emphasis on Tier 1 and Tier 2 Communities, local governments with Urban Progress and State Agrarian Zones, and the 21st Century Communities Initiative. CI continued high levels of funding in its core programs of Scattered Site Housing and Community Revitalization, both of which greatly improve the physical living conditions of our state’s poorest residents. CI focused on stimulating job creation and improving living conditions through the 2010 North Carolina Economic Recovery Program. CI continued to advance the Governor’s Growth policies by incorporating sustainable development principles and policies into criteria for CDBG funding for Housing Development and other categories. CDBG objectives and outcomes are specific to each program category. The category with its corresponding objective and outcome are provided here. The objectives and corresponding outcomes were all met for the CDBG categories awarded in 2010 and will be met for the categories allocated in 2010, but will be awarded in 2011. 45 Categories Objective Outcome North Carolina Economic Recovery Creating Economic Opportunities , Creating Decent Housing, and Creating Suitable Living Environment Availability Community Revitalization Providing Decent Housing Sustainability Small Business & Entrepreneurial Assistance Creating Economic Opportunities Availability Contingency/Urgent Needs Creating Suitable Living Environment Sustainability Scattered Site Housing Providing Decent Housing Sustainability Infrastructure Hook-Ups Creating Suitable Living Environment Sustainability Infrastructure Creating Suitable Living Environment Sustainability Housing Development Providing Decent Housing Affordability IDAs Providing Decent Housing Affordability Economic Development Creating Economic Opportunities Availability Investment of Available Resources & Families and Persons Assisted(24 CFR91.520(a)) Table 5: Investment by Program in Units/Developments Completed in 2010 (91.520(a)-(b)) Program Actual Funding for all proposed 2010 categories Investment Plan Year Anticipated Households Assisted/Jobs Created Actual Households Assisted/Jobs Created North Carolina Economic Recovery 14,037,004 2010 226 HH and 5 public facilities * Community Revitalization 15,739,105 2009 285 HH * Economic Development 11,770,360 2009/2010 1285 jobs 1285 jobs Small Business 1,000,000 2009 40 jobs * Scattered Site Housing 12,400,000 2010 254 HH * Housing Development 1,477,700 2009/2010 321 HH * Infrastructure 4,709,886 2009 1476 HH * Infrastructure Hookup 1,190,130 2009 271 HH * Urgent Needs/Contingency Based on funds de-obligated from previous years 2010 Not applicable * Total 62,324,185 4,158 HH, 5 public facilities, and 1325 jobs TBD * Grants are in the implementation phase and there are no closed projects. Technical Assistance In 2010, technical assistance priorities included: (1) increased technical assistance to local governments and their agents that furthers the goals and priorities of the CDBG program, (2) technical assistance to 46 developing community development corporations, and (3) increased support for workshops, seminars, and training for grantees and staff. During the 2010 program year, division staff presented at various workshops, conferences and other training opportunities in order to further reach out to community development professionals and provide technical assistance as often as necessary. In addition to one-on-one consultation with local governments, councils of government, and consultants, CI staff members provided technical assistance to a number of non-profit and local government advocacy groups including the North Carolina Community Development Association, the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina Community Action Agencies, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and the North Carolina Housing Coalition. CI continued its annual CDBG training academy in 2010, as part of the Community Development Academy offered by the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The purpose of this academy is to train community development professionals in best practices and to make them aware of all possible resources at their disposal as they attempt to better the living conditions and economic opportunity of their residents. One aspect of this training is the instruction by CI staff on proper administration and development of CDBG grant programs. The Community Development Academy will continue to provide instruction and technical assistance in 2011. CI held CDBG workshops throughout the year that were attended by approximately 100 participants. The Division held full-day workshops for contractors and rehabilitation specialists during the year. Informational conference calls were held for the NC Economic Recovery Program and Scattered Site Housing. During the Community Development Academy, a joint effort between CI and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a full-day is devoted to the CDBG program. Additional Information The following pages include the following: Section 3 reports for CI (HUD 60002), CDBG Race Data Report (HUD 27061), Summary of CI Performance Evaluation Report for 2010 and CI MBE Report for 2010. Section 3 Summary Report U.S. Department of Housing OMB Approval No: 2529-0043 Economic Opportunities for and Urban Development (exp. 11/30/2010) Low – and Very Low-Income Persons Office of Fair Housing And Equal Opportunity Section back of page for Public Reporting Burden statement 2. Federal Identification: (grant no.) 3. Total Amount of Award: 4. Contact Person 5. Phone: (Include area code) 1. Recipient Name & Address: (street, city, state, zip) 6. Length of Grant: 7. Reporting Period: 8. Date Report Submitted: 9. Program Code: (Use separate sheet for each program code) 10. Program Name: Part I: Employment and Training (** Columns B, C and F are mandatory fields. Include New Hires in E &F) A Job Category B Number of New Hires C Number of New Hires that are Sec. 3 Residents D % of Aggregate Number of Staff Hours of New Hires that are Sec. 3 Residents E % of Total Staff Hours for Section 3 Employees and Trainees F Number of Section 3 Trainees Professionals Technicians Office/Clerical Construction by Trade (List) Trade Trade Trade Trade Trade Other (List) Total * Program Codes 3 = Public/Indian Housing 4 = Homeless Assistance 8 = CDBG State Administered 1 = Flexible Subsidy A = Development, 5 = HOME 9 = Other CD Programs 2 = Section 202/811 B = Operation 6 = HOME State Administered 10 = Other Housing Programs C = Modernization 7 = CDBG Entitlement Page 1 of 2 form HUD 60002 (6/2001) Ref 24 CFR 135 HUD Field Office: Part II: Contracts Awarded 1. Construction Contracts: A. Total dollar amount of all contracts awarded on the project $ B. Total dollar amount of contracts awarded to Section 3 businesses $ C. Percentage of the total dollar amount that was awarded to Section 3 businesses % D. Total number of Section 3 businesses receiving contracts 2. Non-Construction Contracts: A. Total dollar amount all non-construction contracts awarded on the project/activity $ B. Total dollar amount of non-construction contracts awarded to Section 3 businesses $ C. Percentage of the total dollar amount that was awarded to Section 3 businesses % D. Total number of Section 3 businesses receiving non-construction contracts Part III: Summary Indicate the efforts made to direct the employment and other economic opportunities generated by HUD financial assistance for housing and community development programs, to the greatest extent feasible, toward low-and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing. (Check all that apply.) _____ Attempted to recruit low-income residents through: local advertising media, signs prominently displayed at the project site, contracts with the community organizations and public or private agencies operating within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the Section 3 covered program or project is located, or similar methods. _____ Participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the training or employment of Section 3 residents. _____ Participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the award of contracts to business concerns which meet the definition of Section 3 business concerns. _____ Coordinated with Youthbuild Programs administered in the metropolitan area in which the Section 3 covered project is located. _____ Other; describe below. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. This agency may not collect this information, and you are not required to complete this form, unless it displays a currently valid OMB number. Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1701u, mandates that the Department ensures that employment and other economic opportunities generated by its housing and community development assistance programs are directed toward low- and very-low income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance housing. The regulations are found at 24 CFR Part 135. The information will be used by the Department to monitor program recipients’ compliance with Section 3, to assess the results of the Department’s efforts to meet the statutory objectives of Section 3, to prepare reports to Congress, and by recipients as self-monitoring tool. The data is entered into a database and will be analyzed and distributed. The collection of information involves recipients receiving Federal financial assistance for housing and community development programs covered by Section 3. The information will be collected annually to assist HUD in meeting its reporting requirements under Section 808(e)(6) of the Fair Housing Act and Section 916 of the HCDA of 1992. An assurance of confidentiality is not applicable to this form. The Privacy Act of 1974 and OMB Circular A-108 are not applicable. The reporting requirements do not contain sensitive questions. Data is cumulative; personal identifying information is not included. Page 2 of 2 form HUD 60002 (11/2010) Ref 24 CFR 135 Race and Ethnic Data Reporting Form U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Administration OMB Approval No. 2535-0113 (exp. 01/31/2011) Program Title: Grantee/Recipient Name: Grantee Reporting Organization: Reporting Period From (mm/dd/yyyy): To (mm/dd/yyyy): Racial Categories Total Number of Race Responses Total Number of Hispanic or Latino Responses American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White American Indian or Alaska Native and White Asian and White Black or African American and White American Indian or Alaska Native and Black or African American * Other multiple race combinations greater than one percent: [Per the form instructions, write in a description using the box on the right] Balance of individuals reporting more than one race Total: * If the aggregate count of any reported multiple race combination that is not listed above exceeds 1% of the total population being reported, you should separately indicate the combination. See detailed instructions under “Other multiple race combinations.” Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 1.15 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection instrument. HUD may not collect this information, and you are not required to complete this form unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 1 form HUD-27061 (10/31/2009) For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 1 of 14 Allocation $45,561,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $39,818,283.65 Program Income $872,742.93 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $152,245.70 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $44,701,170.00 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $575,000.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $455,610.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $44,701,170.84 Funds For Local Administration $4,155,640.65 Amount For state Administration $1,011,220.00 Total Funds $44,701,170.00 Allocation B-00-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 2 of 14 Allocation $47,402,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $40,736,934.71 Program Income $402,168.18 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $261,524.19 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $45,545,977.20 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $756,300.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $474,020.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $45,527,246.45 Funds For Local Administration $3,791,218.30 Amount For state Administration $1,048,040.00 Total Funds $45,545,977.20 Allocation B-01-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 3 of 14 Allocation $47,657,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $37,350,987.53 Program Income $131,571.46 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $736,833.69 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $46,328,040.53 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $3,735,928.45 Amount For Technical Assistance $476,570.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $45,753,647.04 Funds For Local Administration $4,504,290.86 Amount For state Administration $1,053,140.00 Total Funds $46,328,040.53 Allocation B-02-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 4 of 14 Allocation $50,704,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $37,173,954.84 Program Income $266,770.92 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $2,562,287.02 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $46,222,555.94 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $1,489,824.74 Amount For Technical Assistance $507,040.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $45,962,178.90 Funds For Local Administration $4,996,489.34 Amount For state Administration $1,114,080.00 Total Funds $46,222,555.94 Allocation B-03-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 5 of 14 Allocation $52,465,304.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $41,986,588.37 Program Income $203,347.12 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $1,598,916.37 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $49,129,439.13 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $1,628,656.09 Amount For Technical Assistance $524,353.04 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $47,263,090.21 Funds For Local Administration $3,915,278.30 Amount For state Administration $1,149,306.00 Total Funds $49,129,439.13 Allocation B-04-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 6 of 14 Allocation $50,010,517.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $42,270,840.19 Program Income $31,574.22 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $45,936,417.11 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $528,000.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $500,105.17 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $1,005.00 Amount Drawn $42,565,114.44 Funds For Local Administration $3,137,576.92 Amount For state Administration $1,100,210.34 Total Funds $45,936,417.11 Allocation B-05-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 7 of 14 Allocation $4,478,582.36 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $0.00 Program Income $0.00 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $4,305,989.62 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $3,777,262.42 Amount For Technical Assistance $0.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $4,305,989.62 Funds For Local Administration $528,727.20 Amount For state Administration $0.00 Total Funds $4,305,989.62 Allocation B-05-DJ-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 8 of 14 Allocation $45,196,659.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $38,115,245.41 Program Income $62,966.13 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $41,845,586.76 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $0.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $451,967.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $40,289,213.95 Funds For Local Administration $3,730,341.35 Amount For state Administration $1,003,933.00 Total Funds $41,845,586.76 Allocation B-06-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 9 of 14 Allocation $45,562,137.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $38,122,704.29 Program Income $198,824.34 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $42,831,003.38 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $9
Object Description
Description
Title | North Carolina consolidated annual performance and evaluation report |
Date | 2010 |
Description | 2010 |
Digital Characteristics-A | 11174 KB; 152 p. |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Full Text | 1 2010 North Carolina Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report Participating Agencies: North Carolina Department of Commerce, Community Investment and Assistance North Carolina Housing Finance Agency North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, AIDS Care Unit 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Summary of Housing Needs ................................................................................................................... 4 Summary of Resources ................................................................................................................................ 6 Distribution of Resources ....................................................................................................................... 8 Geographic Distribution of Resources .......................................................................................................... 8 Households and Persons Assisted ............................................................................................................... 12 Racial and Ethnic Status of Households Assisted ................................................................................ 12 Outcome Measures........................................................................................................................ 12 Households Assisted According to Priority Need Category................................................................. 13 Summary of Resources Made Available .............................................................................................. 14 Assessment of Goals/Objectives – Actions Taken...................................................................................... 15 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing – Actions Taken ........................................................................... 17 Affordable Housing – Actions Taken ......................................................................................................... 22 Continuum of Care Narrative ...................................................................................................................... 23 Other Actions Indicated in the Action Plan – Actions Taken ..................................................................... 23 Support of Anti-Poverty Strategies ...................................................................................................... 23 Capacity-Building and Technical Assistance Activities ...................................................................... 25 Interagency Coordination and Collaboration ....................................................................................... 27 Addressing Weaknesses in the Housing Delivery System ................................................................... 30 Legislative Initiatives ........................................................................................................................... 31 Efforts to Reduce Lead-Based Paint Hazards....................................................................................... 32 Leveraging Resources ................................................................................................................................ 33 Other Supporting Activities ........................................................................................................................ 34 Limited English Proficiency ................................................................................................................. 34 Section 3 .............................................................................................................................................. 35 2010 CDBG Performance Report ............................................................................................................... 39 2010 ESG Performance Report ................................................................................................................... 47 2010 HOME Performance Report............................................................................................................... 52 2010 HOPWA Performance Report ............................................................................................................ 55 Public Participation .................................................................................................................................... 61 Self-Evaluation .......................................................................................................................................... 68 Translations of this Document .................................................................................................................... 68 Certifications .............................................................................................................................................. 68 3 Tables and Figures Table 1: North Carolina Housing Priorities Chart ................................................................................ 5 Table 2: Housing Resources by Funding Source and Administering Agency ........................................ 7 Table 3: Racial and Ethnic Status of Households or Persons Assisted - 2010 .................................... 12 Table 4: Investment of Resources and Persons Assisted ...................................................................... 15 Table 5: Investment by Program in Units/Developments Completed in 2010 (91.520(a)-(b)) ............ 45 Table 6: Persons Served by North Carolina ESG Grantees ................................................................ 50 Table 7: 2010 HOME Production, Summed by Program .................................................................... 53 Figure 1: 2010 Total Funding Distribution ........................................................................................... 9 Figure 2: 2010 CDBG Funding Distribution ....................................................................................... 10 Figure 3: 2010 HOME Funding Distribution ...................................................................................... 10 Figure 4: 2010 ESG Funding Distribution .......................................................................................... 11 Figure 5: 2010 HOPWA Funding Distribution .................................................................................... 11 Figure 6: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Grantees Reporting Fair Housing ................................................... 18 Figure 7: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Costs .......................................................................... 19 Figure 8: 2010 CDBG Fair Housing Activities Per Quarter ............................................................... 20 Figure 9: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Activity Per Quarter .................................................. 20 Figure 10: Section 3 New Hires/Trainees - 2010 ................................................................................. 36 Figure 11: Section 3 Construction/Non-Construction Contracts - 2010 ............................................. 37 Figure 12: Percentage of Grantees Section 3 Reporting - By Category .............................................. 38 4 Executive Summary The 2010 North Carolina Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (2010 NC CAPER) summarizes the accomplishments of four North Carolina agencies, each of whom receives a formula grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The four agencies are: North Carolina Department of Commerce, Community Investment and Assistance; North Carolina Housing Finance Agency; North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Economic Opportunity; and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, AIDS Care Unit. These four agencies and their HUD-funded programs are working together to meet three goals for the good of North Carolinians. These three basic goals are: Provision of decent and affordable housing; Provision of a suitable living environment and Expansion of economic opportunity. Since 1999, the state has pursued a consolidated planning process that addresses the major housing and community development needs affecting North Carolina communities, determines priorities for addressing those needs, and lays out a strategy for using the resources available. Pursuant to the provisions of 24 CFR, Housing and Urban Development, Part 91, Performance Reports, the state has prepared the 2010 NC CAPER on its progress in implementation of the 2010 Annual Action Plan and the North Carolina Consolidated Action Plan, 2006-2010. The four partnering entities received grants to provide housing and housing-related services; community and economic development assistance; and supportive services to low and moderate-income individuals and families; homeless individuals and families; and individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families. This document details the resources received and the programs used to improve the lives and living conditions as well as education, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for North Carolina’s poorest citizens during the 2010 calendar year. Summary of Housing Needs Every five years, for the benefit of HUD, our partnering agencies, and the public, the State prepares a five-year housing strategy outlining North Carolina’s plans for meeting housing and community development needs. This cycle’s five-year strategy, called the North Carolina Consolidated Plan 2006- 2010, lays out the priority needs for North Carolina, which are based upon housing and population information captured from census data special tabulations, which yield the incidence of certain housing problems (overcrowding, inadequate plumbing facilities, cost burden, etc.) among the population. The five-year plan also sets the framework from which each year’s annual action plan can be drawn. The Annual Action Plan further details how the State will accomplish its five-year goals during annual program cycles. The needs listed below are those identified through the Consolidated Plan process through quantitative data, qualitative data, and numerous public meetings with major stakeholders and citizens across the state. Because the State cannot possibly meet all of the housing needs with its limited resources, when determining those priority needs it also considered strategic investment and the appropriateness of resources available to realistically meet the needs. Table 1 details the state’s housing priorities based 5 upon the Housing Market Analysis and Needs Assessment performed as part of the 2006-2010 Consolidated Plan. Table 1: North Carolina Housing Priorities Chart High Medium Low Homeless Persons Renters at 31-50% Renters at 51-80% Operating Costs for Homeless Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Providers Financing of New Construction Financing of New Construction Supportive Services Homeowners at 31-50% Homebuyers at 31-80% in areas Emergency Shelter Construction and Rehabilitation Comprehensive Rehabilitation Refinancing where needs are not met by the market Supportive Housing Individual Development Accounts Non-Homeless Persons with Special Needs** First and Second Mortgages Downpayment Assistance Rent Assistance Financing of New Construction Urban Supportive Housing Homebuyers at 51-80% in areas Operating Assistance where needs are not met by the Supportive Services market Renters at 0-30% Comprehensive Rehabilitation Rent Assistance Refinancing Homeless Prevention Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Homeowners at 0-30% Urgent Repair Comprehensive Rehabilitation Foreclosure Prevention Activities Homeless Persons Renters at 51-60% Renters at 51-80% Operating Costs for Homeless Providers Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Supportive Services Homeowners at 0-50% Homebuyers at 30-80% in areas Emergency Shelter Construction and Rehabilitation Comprehensive Rehabilitation for the Non-elderly where needs are not met by the market Supportive Housing Replacement Housing Individual Development Accounts Non-Homeless Persons with Special Needs** Refinancing Residential Water/Sewer First and Second Mortgages Downpayment Assistance Rent Assistance Infrastructure Financing of New Construction Supportive Housing Homebuyers at 51-80% Rural Operating Assistance Comprehensive Rehabilitation Supportive Services Refinancing Renters at 0-30% Residential Water/Sewer Rent Assistance infrastructure Homeless Prevention Financing of Rental Rehabilitation Financing of New Construction Homeowners at 0-30% Urgent Repair Comprehensive Rehabilitation Replacement Housing Foreclosure Prevention Activities Residential Water/Sewer Infrastructure (when danger to public health) ** Includes the following: Persons with Disabilities Low-Income Elderly Persons Persons with HIV/AIDS 6 Summary of Resources In 2010, the State assisted 56,395 households through four core programs, which funded the construction/rehabilitation of housing units, and provided assistance for home-buyer initiatives, rental assistance, and housing-related and homeless services. These four programs are: The State of North Carolina Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) These funds help local governments improve deteriorating residential neighborhoods, support public services, install water and sewer facilities for residential areas or to job-creating industrial sites, and provide loans or grants to large and small businesses. The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Community Investment and Assistance department administers CDBG funds for community development activities, while funds for economic development activities are administered by the North Carolina Commerce Finance Center. In 2010, North Carolina received $48,942,431 for the State of North Carolina CDBG program. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) HOME funds help local governments, nonprofit organizations, and developers build or improve affordable housing and provide rental assistance and affordable second mortgages. HOME is administered by the N.C. Housing Finance Agency. This year the N.C. Housing Finance Agency received $21,658,906 in resources through the HOME program. The State’s General Assembly appropriated $1,527,996 in public, nonfederal funds to match the federal HOME funds. The Emergency Shelter Grants Program (ESG) These funds help local governments and nonprofit organizations support emergency shelters and transitional housing for the homeless, provide essential services, and prevent homelessness. ESG is administered by the Office of Economic Opportunity in the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2010, the State received $2,563,980 in resources through the ESG program. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) HOPWA funds help local health departments, non-profit community based organizations, housing authorities, AIDS service organizations and other interested provider agencies meet the housing needs of persons living with AIDS or related diseases, and their families. The AIDS Care Unit in the Department of Health and Human Services administers the HOPWA Program. This past year the State received $2,685,680 in resources through the HOPWA program. These funds, along with other private and nonfederal resources, were available in 2010 to address program goals, priority needs, and specific objectives described in the 2010 Annual Action Plan. The table below summarizes the resources used in the state for affordable housing. 7 Table 2: Housing Resources by Funding Source and Administering Agency Name of Program Administering Agency Anticipated Funding for FY 10 (in $000s) Actual Funds Spent for FY 10 (in $000s) Program Directly Administered? Not administered directly, funds are distributed to… Federal Funds CDBG(1) State of NC Community Development Block Grant Program Community Investment and Assistance 48,942 85,616** No Units of local government in non-entitlement areas HOME Down Payment Assistance Program NCHFA 319 125 Yes HOME IDA Loan Pool Program NCHFA 1,065 180 Yes HOME New Homes Loan Pool Program NCHFA 2,485 838 Yes HOME Preservation Loan Program NCHFA 0 906 Yes HOME Rental Production Program NCHFA 5,478 2,469 Yes HOME Self-Help Housing Program NCHFA 4,970 5,030 Yes HOME Single-Family Rehabilitation Program NCHFA 5,680 4,825 No Units of local government, nonprofits and regional agencies HOME Supportive Housing Development Program NCHFA 0 1,316 Yes ESG*(2) Emergency Shelter Grants Program Office of Economic Opportunity 2,563 2,563 No Nonprofit organizations and units of local government HOPWA* Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program AIDS Care Unit 2,387 2,685 No HIV Regional Networks of Care which include nonprofit organizations, health departments and housing authorities Nonfederal Public Resources (State Funds) HOME Match and Other Funds Key Program (Operating Subsidy in partnership with DHHS) NCHFA 0 697 Yes (1) The CDBG funds in this table and this report are only those funds designated strictly for housing activities; CDBG funds used in the economic development, small business, infrastructure (excluding hook-ups), urgent needs, and capacity building categories are not included. Total dollar amounts are also exclusive of administration and technical assistance costs. (2) Must be used for shelter operations, client services and homeless prevention (3) Figure is equity generated, not credits allocated. * These programs have funding that must be used for a specific housing-related activity and/or must be targeted for specific populations (nondiscretionary funding). The other programs' funding may have income restrictions, but the types of housing activity and target population are not restricted (discretionary funding). ** Includes spending from prior funding allocations. 8 Distribution of Resources Each of the four participating agencies that comprise the CAPER receives funds from HUD. Following is a brief discussion of the distribution of these resources for the 2010 program year. Community Investment and Assistance Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) Approximately $49 million was committed to the State of North Carolina Community Development Block Grant program during 2010. After administrative support and technical assistance, $47, 374,158 was available for distribution statewide using competitive and non-competitive approaches. Due to the high unemployment rate, nearly $21 million (43.88%) was allocated statewide for eligible activities that support job creation and stimulation through a competitive process. Another $14.7 million (31.00%) was committed to housing related activities. The remaining $11.3 million (25.12%) was designated for capacity building, economic development, and other non-housing related activities. All unused funds were designated for housing-related and contingency projects. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (HFA) The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) In 2010, NCHFA invested HOME funds among six main activities: approximately $1.3 million, or 8% of the funding, was invested in supportive housing activities; $697,897 (8%) was invested in rental assistance for disabled populations; approximately $906,614 (6%) was invested in rental housing preservation activities ; approximately $4.8 million (29%) was invested in homeowner rehabilitation activities; approximately $2.46 million (15%) was invested in rental production activities, and approximately $6.17 million (38%) was invested in homebuyer activities. Office of Economic Opportunity Emergency Shelter Grants A total of $2,435,781 of the State���s FY 2010 ESG allocation, or ninety-five percent (95%), was awarded to nonprofit organizations and three units of local government operating a total of 138 shelters for the homeless in 50 counties. The remaining $128,199, or five percent (5%), was used for program administration. Eligibility for funding was determined through a pre-application review. Applicants meeting all program criteria were notified of their approved funding level and given a full application package. Grant agreements were executed in August and all program funds were disbursed. AIDS Care Unit Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) The HOPWA program’s annual allocation can be used over a period of three years from the date of receipt. $80,570, or three (3%), was set aside for grantee administration and $2,605,110, or ninety-seven percent (97%), was awarded to 11 Regional Networks of Care through a competitive process. These providers include nonprofit agencies, housing authorities and health departments that provide housing and related services to persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families. Geographic Distribution of Resources Each of the four programs has unique methods of geographic distribution. Funding for the Community Development Block Grant Program is directed to non-entitlement communities across the state. 9 Emergency Shelter Grant, HOPWA and HOME funds are distributed statewide. For the HOPWA program, the home county of the agency that received funds is shown on the map, even though that agency may serve multiple counties. It is not possible at this time to report the amount of HOPWA funds spent in each county that a multi-county agency serves. The following maps show the actual distribution of funds for the CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA programs during 2010. Figure 1: 2010 Total Funding Distribution 10 Figure 2: 2010 CDBG Funding Distribution Figure 3: 2010 HOME Funding Distribution 11 Figure 4: 2010 ESG Funding Distribution Figure 5: 2010 HOPWA Funding Distribution 12 Households and Persons Assisted Racial and Ethnic Status of Households Assisted The following table indicates the racial and ethnic groups of assisted households and persons. Table 3: Racial and Ethnic Status of Households or Persons Assisted - 2010 Race/Ethnicity Group CDBG HOME ESG HOPWA Totals Total Percentages American Indian/Alaska Native 190 7 444 29 670 1.06% Asian 74 14 129 10 227 0.36% Black/African American 6,967 207 24,590 2,325 34,089 53.75% White 4,035 143 19,970 889 25,037 39.48% Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 28 3 35 0 66 0.001% American Indian/Alaska Native and Black/ African American 2 1 0 0 3 <0.001% American Indian/Alaska Native and White 69 2 157 1 229 0.36% Asian and White 4 0 129 0 133 0.002% Black/African American and White 49 8 0 6 63 0.001% Asian/Pacific Islander 0 5 0 0 5 <0.001% Other Multi-Racial 205 20 1,584 42 1,851 2.92% Unknown Race 14 749 282 0 1,045 1.65% Totals 11,637 1,159 47,320 3,302 63,418 Hispanic 83 23 1,092 148 1,346 2.12% Non-Hispanic 11,554 388 46,228 3,154 61,324 96.70% Unknown Ethnicity 0 748 0 0 748 1.18% Totals 11,637 1,159 47,320 3,302 63,418 Outcome Measures1 Uniform performance measures have been developed by HUD. The Consolidated Plan partners have chosen appropriate performance measures for their specific programs. The following are the performance measures for North Carolina HUD-funded programs by agency, category, objective and outcome. 1 24 CFR 91.520(g) 13 Households Assisted According to Priority Need Category Community Investment and Assistance (CI) The Community Investment and Assistance (CI) assisted individuals and families through eight major funding categories: Community Revitalization, Scattered Site Housing, Infrastructure, Housing Development, Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance, Economic Development, and Urgent Needs/Contingencies. The eighth category called North Carolina Economic Recovery was a one-time category designed to assist with job creation and retention. Some funding categories comprise more than one grant category. Information on each grant category is provided in the CDBG Performance Report section of this grant. For clarification, categories specific to housing activities as discussed in the following sections include: North Carolina Economic Recovery, Community Revitalization, Scattered Site Housing, Infrastructure Hook-up, and Housing Development. CDBG grant categories that receive funding but have a broader community development focus include: Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Individual Development Accounts, Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance, Economic Development, and Urgent Needs/Contingencies. CI saw continued success of the CDBG program in assisting low-to-moderate income persons through all program categories. CI provided direct housing assistance to approximately 12,700 households in 2010. Actual accomplishments met goals identified in the 2010 annual action plan in most categories. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) NCHFA invests HOME and HOME Match funds in homebuyer assistance, rental production, rental rehabilitation, rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing, development of supportive housing for persons with disabilities and homeless people, and rental assistance for people with disabilities. In general, 2010 NCHFA completed more units than were originally projected. For the most part, this can be attributed to the Key rent assistance program. The Key program, which has been nationally recognized, saw an increase in units assisted and this will continue as more targeted units are completed. PLP and SHDP also funded more units than projected because of projects that originally slated for completion in 2009 were placed in service in 2010. Offsetting this, however, NCHFA’s homebuyer programs and rental production did see fewer units placed in service as the housing market is still recovering. Although all homebuyer assistance activity is low priority according to the 2006-2010 Strategic Consolidated Plan, the Agency is pleased to be serving households with very modest incomes; the average household income in the units funded with HOME in 2010 was approximately $28,362. In addition to using HOME, the Agency uses other funding sources to serve lower incomes through non-homeownership activities. It relies on a blend of state funding to serve these high-priority populations like the Housing Trust Fund. Office of Economic Opportunity Outcome --> Availability/ Accessibility Affordability Sustainability Suitable Living Environment Decent Housing Creating Economic Opportunities Objective --> 14 32,609 single family adults, 507 children, 5,142 homeless families comprise 5,182 adults and 9,022 children (14,204 adults and children) sought assistance from 138 homeless shelter facilities in 50 counties. Approximately ninety-four percent (94%) of FY 2009 ESG funding was used to pay operating expenses (i.e., rent, utilities, supplies/materials, equipment and administrative costs). Approximately three percent (3%) of the funding was used to provide essential services such as counseling, transportation, health care, housing referral, employment and/or education services. Approximately three percent (3%) of funding was used to provide homeless prevention services that include short-term subsidies to defray rent and utility arrearages, security deposits or first month’s rent payments. The remaining five percent (5%) of FY 2009 ESG funding was used for program administrative costs incurred by the Office of Economic Opportunity. AIDS Care Unit The HOPWA Program assisted more than 2,400 persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families through the following programs: Tenant-based rental assistance program; Short-term rent mortgage and utility program; Supportive service; Resource identification; Housing information; and Operating Cost for family care homes. The 2004 statewide HOPWA needs assessment indicated the need to increase permanent housing; consequently, tenant-based rental assistance increased from 268 units in 2009 to 347 units in 2010. Summary of Resources Made Available2 In 2010, the State of North Carolina invested CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA funding to assist 56,395 households throughout the state and the various programs. Additional allocation of resources can be found in the individual agency program reports. CDBG and HOME funds were used primarily to produce or rehabilitate housing, provide homebuyer assistance, and develop infrastructure required for housing development. ESG funds were used to provide shelter, essential services and homeless prevention activities to homeless individuals and households. HOPWA funds were used to assist households and individuals with housing related services in both short and long-term tenant-based rent assistance. 2 24 CFR 91.520(a) 15 Table 4: Investment of Resources and Persons Assisted Goals by Activity Type - §91.320(g) Activity Type Actual Household Assisted Actual Funding in $000s Rental Assistance 2,852 $2,748 Production of New Units 592 $9,856 Rehabilitation of Existing Units 166 $5,732 Acquisition of Existing Units 10 $105 Other Activities Not Specified Above 52,775 $88,052 Total 56,395 $106,493 Goals by Special Needs - §91.320(g) Need Type Actual Household Assisted Actual Funding in $000s Homeless 38,137 $2,435 Non-Homeless 15,284 $95,167 Special Needs 2,974 $8,891 Total 56,395 $106,493 Annual Objective by Priority - §91.320(c)(3) & §91.320(d) Actual Household Assisted Actual Funding in $000s High Priority Homeless Families & Individuals 38,137 $2,435 Non-homeless Persons with Special Needs 2,974 $8,891 Renters (Earning 0-30% of MFI in Urban Areas; or 0-50% of MFI in Rural Areas) 70 $434 Existing Homeowners (Earning 0-30% of MFI in Urban Areas; or Elderly Owners Earning 0-50% of MFI in Rural Areas) 98 Medium Priority Renters (Earning 31-50% of MFI in Urban Areas; or 31-50% of MFI in Rural Areas) 144 $1,234 Existing Homeowners (Earning 31-50% of MFI in Rural Areas; or Non-Elderly Earning 0-50% MFI in Rural Areas) 244 Lower Priority Renters (Earning 51-80% of MFI in Urban Areas; or 61-80% of MFI in Rural Areas) 130 $1,706 Existing Homeowners Earning 51-80% of MFI Potential Homebuyers Earning 30-80% of MFI whose needs are not met by the market 14,598 $91,793 Total 56,395 $106,493 Assessment of Goals/Objectives – Actions Taken The following is a list of the actions taken during the 2010 program year for each agency. Community Investment and Assistance CI saw continued success of the CDBG program in assisting low-to-moderate income persons with housing and infrastructure improvements. CI provided direct housing assistance to approximately 12,700 households in 2010. Encapsulating all of CI’s programs to include infrastructure, urgent needs, and other community development activities, households were provided assistance ranging from clean drinking water, improved public services, financial literacy training to help lift them out of poverty, employment 16 possibilities that were non-existent prior to the business moving to where they lived, and access to medical and dental care that was previously unobtainable. Actual accomplishments met goals laid out in the 2010 annual action plan in most categories. However, due to the rising costs of construction, it remains difficult for CI and its grantees to continue to provide necessary services at past funding levels. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency Home ownership programs: Status: The Agency assisted 317 households through its FirstHome program and 321 households through its MCC program in 2010. The Agency financed 86 homes under the New Homes Loan Pool, 203 under the Self-Help Loan Pool, and 15 under the IDA Program using HOME and NSP funds. The Agency served 110 homeowners through its Single Family Rehabilitation program and assisted approximately 585 homeowners under the Urgent Repair Program, using Housing Trust Fund monies. To operate Rental production programs: Status: The Agency awarded tax credits for projects that will assist 2,384 households. The Agency awarded $15.6 million in Rental Production Program loans in 2010, which will be leveraged with state and federal tax credits to assist in the production of more than half of those affordable units. In 2010, the Agency also awarded funding for supportive housing projects that will create 517 units. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) To ensure the provision of emergency and/or transitional housing, essential services, and/or homeless prevention services to approximately 32,995 homeless individuals and 5,142 homeless families. It is anticipated that over 97 nonprofit organizations and three units of local government operating over 114 emergency and/or transitional facilities in 48 of the state’s 100 counties will be funded in FY 2010 To continue its involvement with the North Carolina Interagency Council for Coordinating Homeless Programs (ICCHP). Status: In 2010, OEO continued its participation in activities of the ICCHP by serving as a member agency of the Council. To work with the ICCHP to implement strategies and policies outlined in the state’s ten-year plan to end homelessness in North Carolina. Status: As a member agency of the ICCHP, OEO provided input into the implementation of strategies and policies developed by the Council. AIDS Care Unit To provide additional resources and research on funding opportunities for project sponsors through regularly scheduled HOPWA planning meetings. 17 Status: HOPWA Project Sponsors were informed of additional funding through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Project Sponsors were provided information regarding how to apply for funding made available through the state’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid ReHousing Program (HPRP). ACU have four regularly planned meetings during the contract year. To review internal processes for making funding decisions and planning new initiatives. Status: The state of North Carolina has transitioned from the Consortium Model to the Patient Management Model for funding HIV care services with Ryan White Part B and HOPWA funds. This new system for funding HIV care will improve the health status of persons living with HIV infection in North Carolina by providing a safe, decent and affordable place to live. To hold training workshops on current trends in HIV housing. Status: ACU is working with North Carolina Housing Finance Agency to train HOPWA project sponsors on becoming referrals sources for the KEY program. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing – Actions Taken The text below highlights the activities the state agencies undertook to implement the 2010 Annual Action Plan. Community Investment and Assistance Under the 1983 Amendments to the Housing and Community Development Act, recipients of Community Development Block Grant funds must implement activities to affirmatively further fair housing. As part of the 2010 Annual Performance Report (APR) process and documenting AFFH efforts, CI required grantees to submit a record of their quarterly fair housing activities and associated costs. Ideally, these quarterly activities reported in the APRs match activities present in the approved fair housing plans. When our organization approves fair housing plans, we instruct grantees that they can repeat activities while a grant is active, they cannot not conduct the same fair housing activity in consecutive quarters. As shown in figure below, of the 212 CDBG grantees and 24 CDBG-R grantees required to submit an APR for 2010, roughly 70% or greater reported fair housing activities. Some grantees are not required to conduct activities in certain quarters since there was no active grant in that quarter. 18 Figure 6: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Grantees Reporting Fair Housing Of the grantees that reported estimated and actual costs of those quarterly activities, the costs average to about $80 to $110 per quarter (see figure below). Higher costs are in the 2nd and 3rd quarters possibly due to the fact that grantees tend to reevaluate fair housing processes at the beginning and end of years or request free fair housing information from the NC Human Relations Commission (NCHRC). 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% FHQ1E FHQ1A FHQ2E FHQ2A FHQ3E FHQ3A FHQ4E FHQ4A Percent Estimated and Actual Reporting Costs per Quarter Reporting NR NA 19 Figure 7: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Costs The variety of quarterly activity was aggregated into different categories, such as dissemination of pamphlets, adopting a plan, conducting a public hearing or advertising in the local newspaper. The following figures illustrated the percentages of activities conducted per quarter for CDBG and CDBG-R grantees. From the graphs presented, the top activities conducted were distributing pamphlets, newspaper advertisements, and requesting information from NCHRC. The ―Other‖ category represents activities conducted that were unique to an individual grantee and did not fit in well with other established categories. Distribution of pamphlets is a broad category that includes but is not limited to, such locations and entities as banks, realtors, post offices, grocery stores, lenders, churches, and other public organizations. 87.76 114.12 104.78 81.27 83.96 98.02 109.18 80.82 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 FHQ1 FHQ2 FHQ3 FHQ4 Dollars Quarters Average Estimated Average Actual 20 Figure 8: 2010 CDBG Fair Housing Activities Per Quarter Figure 9: 2010 CDBG/CDBG-R Fair Housing Activity Per Quarter 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% FHQ1% FHQ2% FHQ3% FHQ4% Percent Activity Quarters Adopt Plan Distribute Pamphlets (various) Info in Government Admin Hall/Offices N/A Newspaper Advertisement NR Other Public Hearings Radio/TV PSA Realtor/Housing Distribution List Reassess Strategy Request NCHRC info Survey Utility Bill Info Website Workshop 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00% 80.00% 90.00% 100.00% FHQ1 FHQ2 FHQ3 FHQ4 Percent Activity Quarters Adopt Plan Distribute Pamphlets (various) Info in Government Admin Hall/Offices N/A Newspaper Advertisement NR Other Public Hearings Radio/TV PSA Realtor/Housing Distribution List Reassess Strategy Request NCHRC info Survey Utility Bill Info Website Workshop 21 Newspaper advertisements, which can be costly, are more commonplace than utilization of free Public Service Announcements via radio and televisions media. Information in governmental and administrative buildings generally consisted of fair housing posters and replenishment of pamphlets and brochures. In October 2010 a new guidance bulletin issued to grantees requiring at least one workshop be conducted as a quarterly activity, hence an increase in frequency of workshops was seen in the last quarter of 2010. It is surprising that with increased availability and public use of technology such as the internet, more local governments did not post more fair housing information on their local websites. In general, it is concluded that distribution of pamphlets and newspaper advertisements, while valid activities, dominate the public outreach and education processes for grantees to affirmatively further fair housing. It is recommended that grantees evaluate the methods they take and cater to the local target areas in conducting public outreach and education to AFFH to see if pamphlets are effective as they intend to be. In addition, if they have not done so already, all grantees need to ensure that they also follow Title VI of the Civil Rights Act regulation and reach out to those individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in fair housing materials. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency will continue to (1) distribute its Elderly Housing Rights and Consumer Protection Program information brochures, (2) provide Fair Housing training in conjunction with its Housing Credit Program Compliance and Service Coordinator workshops, and (3) publish Spanish translations of its FirstHome and MCC Program information. Status: The Agency continued all of these activities in 2010. The Agency has continued to distribute its Elderly Housing Rights and Consumer Protection Program information brochures through its partners. HFA continued to provide Fair Housing training as a part of its Rental Production Program (RPP) Training and Tax-Credit Compliance Training events which were held nine times in 2010. The Agency also continues to provide Reverse Mortgage Training for housing counselors across the state. The Agency also continued to operate the Spanish language version of its website, on which translations of FirstHome and MCC program brochures, as well as information about other Agency activities, were made available to the Spanish-speaking population. The website had accumulated over 94,000 visits by the end of 2010. All developers of affordable rental housing financed by the Agency are required to develop and implement Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plans, which are reviewed by the Agency for effectiveness and proper implementation. Projects receiving HOME loans must certify that they have developed and adopted affirmative marketing procedures for HOME-assisted housing containing five or more units. Status: The Agency continued to successfully carry out this function during 2010. The Agency will publicize the availability of its updated guide published in October 2005 and reprinted in April 2006 and in 2008: ―Fair Housing for Tenants with Disabilities; Understanding Reasonable Accommodations and Reasonable Modifications‖. Status: The Agency continues to make this guide available on its website, and distributes it to attendees of its RPP and LIHTC trainings. In addition, their partners in this effort distribute the guide to attendees of their series of Fair Housing trainings across the state. 22 The Agency will work more closely with partners to educate homebuyers, increase the supply of affordable housing, provide assistance with down payment and closing costs and offer financial options. Status: The Agency’s Home Ownership Business Group will continue working with the Real Estate Commission and other partners to provide classes for real estate professionals and other lenders and mortgage professionals. The Agency is also working to provide funds for the rehabilitation of REOs to its partners as well as downpayment assistance for REOs. AIDS Care Unit The Unit will continue to expand the Tenant Based Rental Assistance program, which is designed to increase housing choice for low-income persons with AIDS and their families. Status: ACU encourages their funded agencies to establish and maintain relationships with landlords and local housing community with the goal of placing clients into units. Fair Housing pamphlets, sample letters for reasonable accommodations and other fair housing information is made available to funded agencies. Affordable Housing – Actions Taken Community Investment and Assistance CI focuses on increasing the supply of affordable housing and the quality of housing to ensure affordability. CI accomplishes this primarily through the Housing Development category and the Scattered Site Housing Program. Through the Housing Development category, CI supports new construction rental and homeownership activity. CI awarded $1.0 million in CDBG funds for Low- Income Housing Tax Credits projects. CI also provided grants to the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency’s Rental Production Program applicants to further reduce housing costs to reach lower income households. In the Scattered Site Housing category, CI focused on rehabilitation and reconstruction of moderate to severely deteriorated housing. CI awarded $8.2 million in this category that is limited to households at or below 50% of area median income. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency is a self-supporting public agency that provides financing through the sale of tax-exempt bonds and management of federal and state tax credit programs, the federal HOME Program, the state Housing Trust Fund, and other programs. What we offer Using these resources and its own earnings, the Agency: offers low-cost mortgages and downpayment assistance for first-time home buyers; finances affordable homes and apartments developed by local governments, nonprofit organizations, and private owners; finances the development of housing for people with special needs; finances the rehabilitation of substandard owner-occupied homes; and 23 administers HUD rent assistance contracts for 25,000 privately owned apartments statewide. Continuum of Care Narrative Community Investment and Assistance CI ensures that numerous programs by continuum of care agencies requesting certificate of consistency certification are consistent with the state consolidated plan which states: “The state realizes it cannot meet all of the housing need, but it can strategically invest its limited resources to alleviate important housing problems for North Carolina’s households. The state has three basic goals: 1. To provide decent and affordable housing 2. To provide a suitable living environment 3. To expand economic opportunity The primary means through which these goals are achieved is the provision of affordable housing. Each agency operates programs that help to fulfill these goals, while meeting housing and service-related needs statewide.” As part of the transparency, any agency that is receiving funding from other State agencies will also be reviewed by those State agencies as well. In 2010, CI certified 24 public housing authorities and other agencies seeking HUD funds as identified in the SuperNOFA. Other Actions Indicated in the Action Plan – Actions Taken Each of the four state agencies undertook additional actions to further the housing and support services goals of their organizations in the following areas: Anti-Poverty Strategies; Capacity Building and Technical Assistance; Coordination and Collaboration; Housing Delivery Systems; Legislative and Public Policy Initiatives; and Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction. Support of Anti-Poverty Strategies Community Investment and Assistance To target investments toward distressed rural areas and high priority small cities through the Commerce Department’s 21st Century Communities Initiative, Urban Progress (UP) and Agrarian Growth (AG) Zones, and distressed counties. Status: CI continued to target investments toward distressed, rural communities. A fifth round of 21st Century Communities was announced for the period of 2009-2010. These communities include the counties of Alexander, Camden, Clay, Nash, and Scotland. 24 Within the Housing Development category in 2010, preference was given for rental housing developments that were: (1) within local governments from Tier 1 or Tier 2 counties, (2) projects in Urban Progress and State Agrarian Zones, and (3) local governments in 21st Century counties. The Community Revitalization program was awarded in 2010. The program allowed for a holistic approach to community and economic development by enabling local governments to address multiple needs in high poverty areas. This category provides flexible multi-year funding to help alleviate poverty and carry out a long-term, sustainable revitalization strategy in selected targeted neighborhoods. Activities such as housing and self-sufficiency counseling, job training, and down payment assistance helped residents of target areas pull themselves out of poverty. Community Revitalization communities are required to be located in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 county. Also in 2010, CI introduced the North Carolina Economic Recovery Program. The program focused on projects located in non-entitlement areas of the state with high unemployment rates. The program allowed local governments to address housing, infrastructure, public service, and public facilities needs. To support development of soundly designed affordable rental and single-family housing in appropriate settings. Status: In 2010, CI continued to use smart growth guidelines in the Housing Development Category. These guidelines are designed to stimulate high quality, sustainable development in LMI neighborhoods throughout the non-entitlement areas of the state. The guidelines incorporate sound development practices while balancing environmental protection with the economic needs of builders and future homeowners. To receive housing development funds subdivisions had to meet the following minimum requirements: (1) be connected to public water and sewer, (2) be located in or near an existing community, (3) have streets that met NCDOT standards and connected to public streets, (4) all cul-de-sacs had to be less than sixteen lots, (5) have a 30-foot buffer on each side of all perennial streams, and (6) include some open space in the development. In 2010, CI opened and award four multifamily developments using Low-Income Housing Tax Credits in the first round of the Housing Development category. To emphasize smart growth principles in CDBG program categories. Priority for funding will be given to projects that demonstrate design excellence, infill development, and more intense use of existing buildings in downtowns and nearby older neighborhoods. Status: CI continues to support proper new affordable rental and single-family housing through its Housing Development category. This increase in the stock of sound affordable housing improves the lives of hundreds of LMI residents across the state. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency will continue to finance supportive rental housing through the federal and state housing tax credit programs and through the Rental Production Program. Status: In 2010, the Agency awarded capital funds to finance the production of over 150 units of affordable housing targeted to persons with disabilities through its rental production programs. Through a combination of state and federal resources these units are able to receive operating subsidies, making them affordable to persons on Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Agency has partnered with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, who refer clients to these units, in order to ensure that these units remain fully utilized. 25 The Agency expects continued stability in its IDA home ownership initiative which includes providing matching funds and second mortgages to IDA participants who will be purchasing homes. The program serves households participating in any home ownership IDA program in North Carolina. Status: The Agency continued these activities in the IDA program. The Agency will continue funding transitional and permanent housing for the homeless and non-homeless persons with special needs through the Supportive Housing Development Program. Status: Through its regular Supportive Housing Development Program, the Agency awarded over $5 million dollars in 2010 to fund 517 units of supportive housing for persons with special needs and the homeless. Capacity-Building and Technical Assistance Activities Community Investment and Assistance CI will continue to implement the Capacity Building program for nonprofit organizations. Grants of up to $75,000 will be available to each organization. Nonprofit organizations that receive capacity building funds are expected to develop projects and apply for CDBG funding in partnership with their local governments within two years of award. Status: One Capacity Building grants was awarded in 2010. The award was made to the Town of Columbia. Technical Assistance funds will concentrate on developing the professional skills and capabilities of local community development grant administrators. CI and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill co-sponsor this professional certification program for administrators of CDBG grants. The Community Development Academy was held on March 8- 10, 2010 and April 5-7, 2010. Status: The Community Development Academy, offered for the eighth year in 2010, is provided technical assistance and certification to 31 students. The participants represented practitioners from the public, nonprofit, and private sectors. The Division has developed and is conducting workshops on a variety of topics that could include environmental review and CDBG basics. Status: The Division conducted targeted workshops in 2010 designed to provide technical assistance to eligible local governments and grant administrators. In addition to the Community Development Academy, which provides a week of comprehensive CDBG and community development classes, grant-specific workshops were held for the Scattered Site Housing and Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance Grant categories. A 2010 Community Revitalization workshop was held in the fall of 2010. Three rehabilitation workshops were held across the state, covering rehabilitation topics crossing multiple grant categories. In addition, CDBG staff spoke at numerous conferences and workshops to audiences about CDBG programs. A total of about 80 workshop participants attended CDBG workshops. CI also conducted webinars and conference calls on CDBG topics including fair housing, Language Access Plan, and grant application requirements. 26 North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency’s Home Ownership Business Group will continue working with the Real Estate Commission and other partners to provide classes for real estate professionals and other lenders and mortgage professionals. Status: The Agency continued to offer its courses in 2010. Forty-four courses were held throughout 2010, providing training for over 1,032 attendees. The Agency will continue to provide monthly lender training sessions throughout the state to educate mortgage professionals about the Agency’s below-market-rate loans, with and without down payment assistance. Status: During 2010, the Agency presented monthly seminars to lenders throughout the state to educate mortgage professionals about the Agency's financing programs, including down payment assistance. The Agency’s Rental Investment Business Group has statewide responsibility for Contract Administration of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development��s Section 8 Project-based Rental Assistance Program, which supports tenants in over 24,000 housing units in North Carolina. The Agency has partnered with Quadel Consulting Corporation to manage the contract administration duties. Rental development owners will receive ongoing technical assistance on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 8 regulations. Status: The Agency continued to partner with Quadel, who in 2010 administered more than $137 million in Section 8 project-based assistance statewide. The Agency’s Strategic Investment Business Group will continue to collaborate with the Advanced Energy Corporation (AEC) to train contractors and developers (both nonprofit and for-profit) in techniques of building high performance houses. In partnership with Advanced Energy, NCHFA encourages the development of SystemVision homes which are energy efficient. Status: The Agency completed 265 System Vision homes during 2010, and continues to collaborate with AEC to conduct these trainings. The Agency will continue to administer its fair housing and service coordinator trainings in conjunction with its rental investment programs. Designed for service coordinators, housing managers, supportive service providers, and others who work with the elderly or special needs residents, these workshops have covered topics that include aging, the basics of service coordination, legal issues and housing, and planning community wellness programs. Status: The Agency continued to provide this training as a part of its RPP Training and Tax- Credit Training. In 2010 these trainings were offered 9 times at multiple locations statewide. Office of Economic Opportunity The Office of Economic Opportunity continues to provide technical assistance to grantees by hosting an annual Emergency Shelter Grants Training. Grantees receive information regarding program administration including fiscal and programmatic reporting. In addition, staff provides weekly technical assistance to grantees via telephone and through electronic correspondences. Grantee receive technical assistance during on-site monitoring and as they participate in training initiatives offered by partners such as North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, HUD, and North Carolina ICCHP. 27 AIDS Care Unit The Unit will provide technical assistance workshops, planning meetings, and one-on-one technical assistance to assist organizations with resource development, with compliance, and in other program areas. Status: ACU continues to provide technical assistance to agencies. As a result of the Patient Management Model all funded agencies received initial site visits to review all documents for the HOPWA contract that constitutes the agreement between the Division and agency so as to ensure full understanding of terms and conditions by the agency staff for the program. The Unit will use and implement tools—such as demographic reports and annual reports for documenting information on statistics—to assist with improving communication with project sponsors, in order to clarify reporting expectations. Status: ACU HOPWA Demographic Report is used to capture data for the performance measurement tool established by HUD. Project Sponsors are required to submit a CAPER to the grantee. The Unit will continue to utilize technical assistance from the Supportive Housing Collaborative and from the HUD Project Officer to strengthen administration of North Carolinas HOPWA program. Status: In addition to technical assistance from the HUD Project Officer, we also received technical assistance from Collaborative Solutions, TA Consultants for North Carolina. Interagency Coordination and Collaboration Community Investment and Assistance CI will continue to work with other governmental and non-governmental groups such as the North Carolina Department of Labor, the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and the North Carolina IDA and Asset Building Collaborative to support and fund IDA and other savings programs in the state. Status: CI continued strengthening interagency ties with various IDA programs and organizations. A staff member serves on the North Carolina IDA and Asset Building Collaborative Advisory Board. CI will continue to engage other state agencies and federal allies in funding priority projects in 21st Century Communities. Counties selected in the most recent round will continue to receive priority status in 2010. Status: These latest 21st Century Communities are the counties of Alexander, Camden, Clay, Nash, and Scotland. CI will continue to serve on statewide housing policy boards such as the Housing Coordination and Policy Council. 28 Status: CI continues to serve on various housing boards, including the Housing Coordination and Policy Council and the North Carolina IDA and Asset Building Collaborative Advisory Board. CI will continue to collaborate with state and local agencies such as the North Carolina Redevelopment Center and local emergency management and housing agencies on disaster relief projects as they arise. Status: CI continued to collaborate with state and local agencies to address disaster relief needs. CI will continue to review plans submitted by housing agencies and public housing authorities in order to certify consistency with the Consolidated Plan. Status: CI continued to review plans for consistency with the Consolidated plan submitted by housing agencies and public housing authorities. CI certified 24 plans in 2010. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency is partnering with the U.S. Treasury Department, state Employment Security Commission, Commissioner of Banks and local housing counseling affiliates in the NC Foreclosure Prevention Fund, with funding from the Housing for Hardest Hit States Initiative. Status: The Agency began working with these partners to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. The Agency has partnered with the Advanced Energy Corporation (AEC) of Raleigh, North Carolina for over 10 years and will continue this partnership, to train and assist local partners under three home ownership programs. AEC’s services will include providing low-income homebuyers with guarantees that their heating and cooling costs with not exceed a very low, set level (as low as $18/month). This broadens the window of affordability and enhances marketing effectiveness. Status: The Agency continued to partner with AEC to train and assist local partners. The Agency will continue as a member of the Interagency Coordinating Council for Homeless Programs (ICCHP). Status: The Agency continued to participate as a member in 2010. The State will continue its collaborative relationship with the Department of Labor by providing matching funds and second mortgages for participants in the Department of Labor’s IDA program. It will also broaden its support of IDA programs by developing partnerships statewide with other IDA programs. Status: The Agency continues to collaborate with the Department of Labor by providing matching funds and second mortgages to eligible households participating in NC DOL-funded IDA programs. The Agency plans to continue its collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, in its operation of the Self Help Loan Pool (SHLP). In the SHLP collaboration, the NCHFA and Habitat for Humanity jointly provide a primary mortgage to low-income homebuyers of Habitat for Humanity homes. 29 Status: In 2010, approximately $5.6 million in awards were made to assist 203 households in the Self Help Loan Pool. The Agency will continue its collaboration with Duke Energy, by facilitating energy-related home improvements for homeowners in the Duke Energy Service Area, using money provided to the Agency by Duke Energy. Status: In 2010, approximately $1.3 million in awards was made to assist 49 households in the Duke Help Program. The Agency will continue its partnership with the North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA), wherein it provides funding (along with local governments) to enable the NCHBA to offer construction training for a small number of underemployed residents in 3 cities. Status: In 2010, approximately $132,000 in awards was made to the Construction Training Program. The Agency will continue to fund the Displacement Prevention Partnership, which allows the Independent Living Program and the Lead Hazard Control Branch to assist households facing displacement due to mobility limitations or lead-paint poisoning, respectively. This Partnership will operate as a standalone program, separate from the Urgent Repair Program. Status: In 2010, approximately $1 million in awards was made to assist 372 households in the Displacement Prevention Program. The Agency works in close partnership with the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to administer the Key Program, providing operating subsidies so that persons with disabilities on Supplemental Security Income can have access to affordable housing. Lastly, the Agency works with the state Office of Economic Recovery and Investment (OERI) and DHHS to administer the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program. The state of North Carolina was awarded $22 million to prevent homelessness and rapidly move homeless persons into housing. AIDS Care Unit The Unit will continue as an active participant on the Housing Coordination and Policy Council as well as the Inter-agency Council on Coordinating Homeless Programs. Status: ACU staff continued participating on the Housing Coordination and Policy Council and attended quarterly meetings of the Inter-agency Council on Coordinating Homeless Programs. The Unit will seek out opportunities to work with nonprofit organizations to provide services for those who are triply diagnosed (HIV/AIDS, mental illness and substance abuse issues). Status: The state of North Carolina has transitioned from the Consortium Model to a Patient Management Model for funding HIV care services with Ryan White Part B and HOPWA funds through this initiative we are working more effectively with nonprofit and medical providers to provide services for those who are triply diagnosed. ACU staff serves on the Department of Health and Human Services Housing Workgroup collaborating with representatives from the mental health and substance abuse programs. 30 The Unit will continue to collaborate with the other NC entitlement cities to ensure consistency among administration of the HOPWA Program. Status: ACU is collaborating with Wake County Human Services, Regional HIV/AIDS Consortium and Virginia Beach, VA (Currituck County) which administers HOPWA Programs in their respective MSA’s. Addressing Weaknesses in the Housing Delivery System During the past six years, the participating agencies have used human, financial and programmatic resources to increase available affordable housing stock for rent or purchase; fund community and economic development projects that created jobs and stimulated revitalization; as well as opportunities for business ownership; provide shelters and transitional housing; provide related services to homeless families and individuals, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families and other special needs populations. Although every effort is made to improve the collective quality of life for the state’s most vulnerable populations, budget constraints sometimes limit the scope and extent of existing programs and hinder development and implementation of new ones. Each of the participating agencies has highlighted their individual efforts to address weaknesses in the housing delivery system. Community Investment and Assistance CI has redesigned existing programs and developed new programs which offer more local communities opportunities to participate. The Department of Commerce through the Office of Rural Development continues to operate a Capacity Building program that tries to increase nonprofit participation in the CDBG Program/Process. The Division also considers its sponsorship of various training programs for nonprofits a strength because it helps to increase their ability to develop better housing projects. Weaknesses in housing delivery are tied in part to budget constraints. Status: CI also participated in training sponsored by the Council of State Community Development Agencies, COSCDA, including the CDBG Boot Camp and the annual National Conference, as well as training sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency has private activity volume cap sufficient to meet its 2010 homeownership goals. It offers a variety of mortgage loan products (FHA, USDA, and VA) and has 90 day interest rate guarantees. The Agency has provided mortgages to approximately 99% of the state’s counties with its mortgage products, and actively seeks to expand that coverage through product training and expansion of eligible new lenders. The Agency may also increase income and sales price limits as federal limits change subject to NCHFA Board Approval. Status: Income and sales price limits were approved by the HFA Board of Directors in 2010. The Agency will continue to provide application workshops and housing development workshops for organizations interested in developing supportive housing for individuals with special needs. Status: The Agency provided two workshops in 2010 for organizations interested in developing supportive housing. 31 The Agency will continue to strongly support various statewide housing trade associations such as the NC Community Development Association, the NC Community Action Association, the Professional Housing Rehabilitation Association of NC, the NC Association of CDCs, the NC IDA Collaborative, and the Interagency Council for the Coordination of Homeless Programs, etc. We will continue a balanced policy of serving on association boards and committees, serving as presenters at training conferences and providing gap financing for training efforts of mutual benefit, in an effort to assist those associations in their efforts to address weaknesses in the housing delivery system. Status: The Agency continued participating in these partnerships and associations in 2010. Agency staff participated on the boards of multiple organizations, and presented at many conferences around the state and the region. The Agency continues to make changes to the delivery of single-family rehabilitation assistance to rural areas. The SFR program, starting in 2010, is on a 3 year rotation, serving 33 counties every year. It is also now functioning as a pool program, similar to our homeownership loan pools, so that high performing partners will able to access more SFR funds when needed. Status: In 2010, the Agency awarded $6.4 million dollars to the SFR program. These funds will result in the rehabilitation of over 128 homes. AIDS Care Unit The Unit considers the experience of the HOPWA project sponsors to be a strength. However, the 7% cap on administrative costs covered by HOPWA is unworkable and too low, making it difficult for project sponsors to function without proper reimbursement for fulfilling increased administrative responsibilities and attending much needed training. As a way to overcome weaknesses in its housing delivery system the Unit’s review of internal processes recommended advocating for an increase to the 7% administrative cap in 2010, as opportunities become available. Status: HUD HOPWA regulations have a seven percent (7%) administrative cap for all eligible activities. ACU continue to encourage HOPWA project sponsors to leverage funding and seek other funding sources. Legislative Initiatives Community Investment and Assistance The Department of Commerce will advocate for stronger tools to attract investment, jobs and economic vitality to urban core areas. CI will continue to work with various state economic development agencies and stakeholders to define and produce new strategies that will enhance economic development opportunities in local communities. Status: CI created economic incentives packages increasing the amount of private investment and jobs in metropolitan areas. The North Carolina Department of Commerce will work to expand the Main Street program. Status: The Main Street Program added four towns in 2010 –Davidson, Garner, Kings Mountain, Roanoke Rapids. The Small Town Main Street program added six communities in 2010 – Catawba, Troy, Highlands, Plymouth, Murfreesboro, and Scotland Neck. 32 In light of recent budget cuts, the Division will work to strengthen State funding for the CDBG program. CI will educate legislators to the need for state financial support for community development initiatives in rural parts of North Carolina. Status: CI staff took advantage of several opportunities to educate legislators about the need for state financial support for community development initiatives in rural parts of North Carolina. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The Agency plans to work to increase appropriations to the Housing Trust Fund and federal HOME Program match. Status: The General Assembly continued to fund the Housing Trust Fund with a $10 million recurring appropriation. The General Assembly appropriated $1,527,996 as partial matching funds for the federal HOME Program in 2010. The NC General Assembly appropriated $10.9 million in nonrecurring funds to the state’s Housing Trust Fund for the development of rental housing in fiscal year 2007, and $7.5 million in nonrecurring funds for fiscal year 2008. An additional $4.8 million in nonrecurring funds was appropriated to the state’s Housing Trust in 2009. This funding will result in over 1,100 units of housing for persons with disabilities affordable to those on Supplemental Security Income. No additional Housing 400 funds were appropriated in 2010. One of the Agency’s legislative initiatives has been to continue with the implementation of the Home Protection Program, a program initiated by the General Assembly. This has been replaced by the Mortgage Protection Program, part of the NC Foreclosure Prevention Fund. Status: The Home Protection Program will be part of the larger foreclosure prevention initiative that began in 2010. NCHFA was awarded approximately $482 million from the federal government to administer the federal Hardest Hit program. The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency will use the Hardest Hit Program funds to help North Carolinians who have suffered job loss or other financial hardships to save their homes from foreclosure, similar to the Home Protection Program. Many of the same local counseling agencies that have delivered Home Protection loans will help deliver the new program. Home Protection Program loans will continue to be available statewide while the Hardest Hit programs are being phased in, between October 2010 and September 2011. Most of the new funds will be used to make mortgage payments for unemployed workers while they seek jobs or complete job training in a new field. Others who, through no fault of their own, have gotten behind on their mortgage payments will be eligible for assistance while they get back on their feet. Efforts to Reduce Lead-Based Paint Hazards Community Investment and Assistance CI will continue to encourage local units of government to be involved with lead-based paint removal programs. Furthermore, CI will encourage local governments to work with agencies that are established primarily to mitigate lead-based paint conditions and provide for its removal, as well as address other environmental concerns. Status: CI provided technical assistance for lead-based paint hazards throughout the year through one-on-one technical assistance. 33 North Carolina Housing Finance Agency All HOME-funded programs will continue to be in compliance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development lead regulations (25 CFR Part 35). Status: The Agency continued to comply with the lead regulations set forth by 25 CFR Part 35. The Agency will continue to participate in a quarterly, ad hoc lead hazards advisory group made up of concerned individuals from the public health, environmental protection, affordable housing, and occupational safety sectors. Status: Agency staff members continue to attend these quarterly meetings. Using Housing Trust Fund funding set-aside through the ―Displacement Prevention Partnership Program‖, the Agency will offer funding for lead referrals whose situation may be more appropriately handled through Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR’s) Preventative Maintenance Program. Funds are provided as grants to the homeowners to pay for cleanup and stabilization activities as prescribed by DENR’s regional lead specialists. ―Households with a child under the age of six whose health is threatened by the presence of lead hazards‖ are also an eligible special needs category for SFR. No longer do children need to be lead poisoned or have any lead in their blood. We also will use our SFR Pool Members to respond to lead referrals. Status: Funds continue to be available for lead referrals. Over 350 homes were served through DPP in 2010 AIDS Care Unit Project Sponsors are required to document that all clients receiving housing assistance are made aware of the danger of lead base paint. Project Sponsors distribute a lead based paint fact sheet to clients receiving HOPWA services. Leveraging Resources Community Investment and Assistance The North Carolina Department of Commerce leverages CDBG dollars with private and public resources. The leverage resources are in the following program areas: Economic Development: Leverage is provided in the form of both private and public funds for economic development projects. Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance: SBEA allows local governments to assist local for-profit businesses that are willing to create or retain jobs. Although not mandatory, SBEA project companies bring private resources to the project in order to meet program goals. Projects awarded in 2010 using the 2009 allocation leveraged $1.91million. Infrastructure Program: In the Infrastructure Program, CI requires a five percent match from local governments. Housing Development Program: HD projects bring in non-CDBG resources from major financial institutions in exchange for receiving the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Additionally, the developers bring in private equity and other private and public resources. 34 North Carolina Housing Finance Agency NCHFA fosters the production of decent affordable housing by providing HOME funds for helping acquire and/or construct multifamily and single family projects. NCHFA leverages HOME dollars with private, public and non-profit resources that are spread over multiple projects statewide. NCHFA works to leverage resources through coordinating existing programs such as the Low-income housing tax credit program and Down payment assistance program, among others. Low income housing tax credits: Major financial institutions, such as banks, insurance companies and government-sponsored enterprises make equity investments in exchange for receiving the tax credits. Equity from the sale of tax credits reduces the amount of debt financing that the property owner incurs. The owners are eligible to take a tax credit equal to approximately 9% of the ―Qualified Cost‖ of building or rehabilitating the property (excluding land and certain other expenses). Down payment assistance: NCHFA also helps put first-time homebuyers in homes by providing down payment assistance to homebuyers who meet a certain set of income and credit qualifications. Home buyers who need help with down payment and closing cost may qualify for interest-free, deferred second mortgages up to $8,000. They may also qualify for larger second mortgage through the Agency’s three loan pool programs, thus leveraging nonprofit, Habitat, or private lender financing. Other Supporting Activities Limited English Proficiency Community Investment and Assistance The purpose of this Policy and Plan is to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable federal and state laws and their implementing regulations with respect to persons with limited English proficiency (LEP). Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on the ground of race, color or national origin by any entity receiving federal financial assistance. Administrative methods or procedures, which have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination or defeating the objectives of these regulations, are prohibited. In order to avoid discrimination on the grounds of national origin, all programs or activities administered by the local unit of government must take adequate steps to ensure that their policies and procedures do not deny or have the effect of denying LEP individuals with equal access to benefits and services for which such persons qualify. This Policy defines the responsibilities the agency has to ensure LEP individuals can communicate effectively. These requirements will apply to the agency including subcontractors, vendors, and sub-recipients. The agency will ensure that LEP individuals are provided meaningful access to benefits and services provided through contractors or service providers receiving sub-grants from the agency. A. Limited English Proficient (LEP) individual – Any prospective, potential, or actual recipient of benefits or services from the agency who cannot speak, read, write or understand the English language at a level that permits them to interact effectively with health care providers and social service agencies. The Division’s goal for Title VI regulatory enforcement is to achieve voluntary compliance. The requirement to provide meaningful access to LEP persons is enforced and implemented by DOC through 35 the procedures identified in the Title VI regulations. These procedures include complaint investigations, compliance reviews, efforts to secure voluntary compliance, and technical assistance. CI approved 98 Language Access Plans for FY 2010, and local governments have successfully provided the information to comply with Title VI. North Carolina Housing Finance Agency Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000(d) and Executive Order 13166 require that recipients of federal funds take responsible steps to ensure meaningful access by persons with limited English proficiency (LEP persons). The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) is a recipient of federal funds for a portion of its programs and thus obligated to reduce language barriers that can preclude meaningful access by LEP persons to NCHFA’s programs. NCHFA’s four factor analysis revealed a significant Spanish speaking population. In response to this, NCHFA has had a Spanish version of its website available since 2007 and has vital documents available in Spanish as well as program brochures and materials. I n addition, NCHFA has staff members whom are bilingual in English and Spanish who can translate if needed. Furthermore, upon request, NCHFA will provide oral interpretation and/or written translation in other languages. Because virtually all assistance is provided by NCHFA’s partners, all applicants/sub-grantees will be required to comply with Title VI and its accompanying regulations. All organizations receiving federal funds will provide their Language Access Plans to NCHFA, which will involve each organization conducting a four factor analysis. NCHFA will review each plan for compliance. NCHFA will assist agencies in finding appropriate translation resources and disseminate translated HUD notices, brochures, and other documents. NCHFA has implemented its Agency Language Assistance Plan (LAP) and shall monitor the implementation of its LAP, making revisions to policies and procedures as may be required periodically. Section 3 Community Investment and Assistance Based on the Section 3 reporting and compliance determinations which indicates minimum numerical goals set forth at 24 CFR Part 135.30. Specifically: 1. Thirty percent (30%) of the aggregate number of new hires shall be Section 3 residents Community Investment and Assistance (CI) is reporting 37% (see below) of new hires that are Section 3, meeting the goal required by HUD to comply the responsibilities pursuant to Section 3. New hires towards Section 3 included professionals, technicians, office/clerical and others including general construction, operators, drivers and carpenters. CI will keep reinforcing the incorporation of the Section 3 clause into all covered solicitation and contracts and assisting and dynamically cooperating with the agencies in making contractors and subcontractors comply. 36 Figure 10: Section 3 New Hires/Trainees - 2010 2. Ten percent (10%) of the total dollar amount of all covered construction shall be awarded to Section 3 business concerns. CI is reporting 2 % (see below) of dollar amount to Section 3 business from construction contracts. After several efforts which included attempted to register business through: signs prominently displayed at the project site, contracts with the community organizations and public or private agencies operating within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the Section 3 covered program or project is located; participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the award of contracts to business concerns which meet the definition of Section 3 business concerns, and agencies contacted to obtain new data to register business and Coordinator under Section 3, the Division was unable to meet the goal FY 2010. The majority of the amounts awarded towards Section 3 were dedicated to construction contracts. CI will contact local agencies to inform sub-recipients about the requirements of Section 3, offering workshops and one to one support to grantees. CI will assist sub-recipients and their contractors in how to comply with section 3 and to report on an annual basis. 37% 63% 3% New Hires that are Section 3 Reported Number of Section 3 Trainees Reported Number of New Hires reported 37 Figure 11: Section 3 Construction/Non-Construction Contracts - 2010 3. Three percent (3%) of the total dollar amount of all covered non-construction contracts shall be awarded to Section 3 business concerns. CI is reporting 1% (see above) of the amount for non-construction contracts for section 3 business. After several efforts which included attempted to register business through: signs prominently displayed at the project site, contracts with the community organizations and public or private agencies operating within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the Section 3 covered program or project is located; participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the award of contracts to business concerns which meet the definition of Section 3 business concerns, and agencies contacted to obtain new data to register business and Coordinator under Section 3, the Division was unable to meet the goal FY 2010. CIA will contact local agencies to inform sub-recipients about the requirements of section 3, offering workshops and one to one support to grantees. CIA will assist sub-recipients and their contractors in how to comply with section 3 and to report on an annual basis. Data entry The figure below shows that according to the data collected for 2010, 52% of the grantees reported signed construction contracts for 2010 which 3% was reported towards Section 3 businesses; 36 % of the grantees reported signed non-construction contracts for 2010 which 1% was reported towards Section 3 non-construction businesses and 9% reported number of new hires within the signed contracts, which 3% were section 3 new hires and 3% were section 3 trainees. From the grantees grant total, 58% of the grantees that reported on Section 3 did not sign any contracts for 2010. 2% 98% 1% 99% Total $ Construction Contracts 2010 Reported Dollar amount to Section 3 business Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts for section 3 Reported 38 Figure 12: Percentage of Grantees Section 3 Reporting - By Category North Carolina Housing Finance Agency The owner of each rental property with a HOME award greater than $200,000 is required to participate in Section 3 compliance from project-award to closing. NCHFA sends out the Section 3 Plan form with the final commitment letter along with directions on how to complete the form. This form is sent directly back to a contact person at NCHFA who reviews the submitted document. Owners and general contractors are then required to submit the section 3 Year-End Monitoring Report by 12/31 of each calendar year that the project is under construction or rehabilitation. Prior to the end of the grant period or closing, the owner is required to submit to NCHFA the Section 3 Summary Report. In 2010, NCHFA held training on Section 3 and MWBE for recipients of HOME funded RPP loans. 9% 3% 3% 52% 3% 3% 36% 1% 1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Number of New Hires reported New Hires that are Section 3 Reported Number of Section 3 Trainees Reported Total $ Construction Contracts 2010 Reported Dollar amount to Section 3 business Reported Number of Section 3 businesses Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts Reported $ Amount for Non-Const. Contracts for section 3 Reported # of Section 3 Firms Used for Non- Construction Reported 39 2010 CDBG Performance Report In 2010, North Carolina received approximately $49 million in CDBG funds. Of this amount, $47,374,158 was made available for five programs described below. Community Investment and Assistance (CI) amended the 2010 Annual Action Plan to redirect programs to focus on stimulating the economy through job creation and retention. The state made these funds available through grants to non-entitlement governments statewide. NC CDBG Economic Recovery (NC CDBG ER) grants were made to the highest ranking communities among those applications that were submitted in June 2009 in a competitive process but not funded as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for CDBG funding. CI chose NC CDBG ER projects from a pool of applicants requesting funds from one of three categories. The categories include: Infrastructure, Housing, and Special Projects. Each project was required to meet a national objective and identify the creation and/or retention of jobs for the project. Infrastructure and public facility projects were expected to have a minimum 70 percent low and moderate-income benefit plus jobs. Housing projects were required to have a 100 percent low and moderate-income benefit plus jobs to every activity including housing. In addition, projects that address high unemployment areas of the state and are ―bid-ready‖ will received highest priority for funding. Accomplishments: Twenty six (26) Economic Recovery grants were recommended for award in the 2010 program year. Of the recommended projects 18 were housing; 4 public facilities including parks and neighborhood/senior centers; and 4 water and sewer infrastructure projects. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: The awards made in February 2010 totaled $14,037,004. Scattered Site Housing (SSH) grants are made to local county governments on a rotating basis to address housing needs of very low income families throughout the county. County governments can receive $400,000 every 3 years with funds targeted to very low-income homeowners for rehabilitation or replacement purposes. Counties submit a detailed plan that includes all interested municipalities within the county describing how funds will be distributed to meet housing needs. Scattered Site Housing applicants may request that up to ten percent of funds be set aside for local option to undertake emergency repairs or repair/replace on-site well and/or septic systems. Those counties that accomplish their goals and exhaust funds within two years are eligible to receive up to an additional $100,000 to continue activities allowed in the SSH category subject to funding availability. Selection criteria for Scattered Site Housing awards include: community need, community impact, project design, financial feasibility, distribution plan, and participation process. Accomplishments: Thirty-two (32) Scattered Site Housing (SSH) projects were submitted to CI in 2010 for distribution to communities in North Carolina, providing LMI households with safe, decent, sanitary housing either through rehabilitation or relocation. In addition, dilapidated homes were either cleared or improved through code enforcement measures, removing slum and blight from those neighborhoods. The total requests for CDBG funds were $12.6 million. Awards: To date, twenty one (21) SSH grants have been awarded from the 2010 program allocation. The awards were made in February 2010 using $8,200,000. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Economic Development (ED): This category will continue the policy of providing higher levels of funding to the most economically distressed areas of the state. The following considerations will be included for job creation and retention projects during the 2010 program year: 60% of the jobs created or 40 retained in a project must benefit persons qualifying as prior low and moderate income (LMI). Funding for Economic Development projects is based on the number of jobs to be created or retained and the level of distress in the community applying for the funds. Areas with higher distress rankings, based on the North Carolina Tier rating system, are eligible for more funds per job created. Additional CDBG funding per job is available for projects proposed to be located in a current 21st Century Communities as designated by the Secretary of Commerce. CDBG funds are granted to local governments for various types of infrastructure improvements to assist business expansion or retention. A local funding match of at least one dollar for every three CDBG dollars is required except for the 25 most distressed counties as ranked for the Article 3J Tax Credits legislation and current 21st Century Counties. In a secondary priority to infrastructure projects and at the discretion of the Secretary of Commerce, direct financial assistance to private companies is available as loans to be negotiated by the local government applicant and a participating North Carolina commercial bank at a level not to exceed 50% of the bank loan. Repayment of the loan by the private company becomes program income to the State and is deposited into a CDBG economic development revolving loan fund (RLF). Funding from the RLF is available only as loans. Loans for industrial shell buildings are available from the RLF based on the projected number of jobs to be created and the level of distress in the community. These loans will be at a 2% interest rate with a maximum term of 5 years. Principle payments are deferred for the first two years of the loan. A dollar for dollar match is required by the local government applicant for an industrial shell building. Also, up to $500,000 will be set aside in the RLF for counties in Tiers 1-3 as loans to assist with the costs associated with certifying industrial sites. These grants are repaid after the certified site is sold or within five years of award. Funds are granted to local governments that propose a project in conjunction with a private for profit business that proposes to restore a vacant building to economic use resulting in the creation or retention of permanent, full-time jobs by the project company. To be eligible, documentation must be provided showing the building has been vacant thirty (30) consecutive days or more. CDBG funds for this category are limited to a maximum of $750,000 per unit of government per program year. The grant amount is calculated based on $20,000 per job for 3J Tax Credit eligible businesses and $12,000 per job for businesses not eligible for tax credits. CDBG funds provided to the company by the local unit of government will be in the form of a forgiven loan. The loan has a term of five years with no principal or interest payments. If the project company retains the jobs pledged in the loan agreement for the five year term, the entire amount is forgiven. Certain threshold requirements apply, including: $1.25 million cap for the yearly funding cycle, expenditure levels of open grants, and proper closeout of previous grants. Accomplishments: ED awards for grants and loans were made in 2010 by Commerce Finance Center. The awards were made to local governments who, working with private companies, will create or retain jobs for low-to-moderate income residents in their communities. The awards are expected to create or retain 1,285 jobs. Of this number, 818 are expected to be LMI. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: ED awards used $11,770,360 of the 2010 program allocation. Housing Development (HD) grants administered by CI will focus on the creation of multi-unit rental developments and provide support for homeownership activities for low and moderate-income families. Local governments in Tier 1, municipalities that have UP or AG zones, and 21st Century communities 41 will receive preference for HD funds. The HD allocation will be divided into two funding pools: Homeownership and Rental Housing. Threshold Requirements: In order to be rated for funding, each applicant must meet certain minimum requirements: demonstration of adequate capacity; have not applied for or received more than $1,250,000 cap; create 51% of all units for households below the area median income and maintain for 20 years; document other sources of funding; work with CBDO and complete an appraisal for projects with CDBG funded land acquisition. Selection Criteria: Applicants will be rated according to the following criteria: Project Design �� 85%; and Benefit to LMI Persons – 15%. In the event there are not enough funds to make an award to all applicants, the following will also be considered: cost effectiveness; sound growth principles; location of project; capacity; and project furthers Consolidated Plan priorities. For Tax Credits, the threshold requirements and selection criteria are the same. Only projects that are receiving tax credits for multi-unit rental developments through the NCHFA can receive these funds. Multi-unit Development: Funds will be provided for rental developments. Eligible uses of CDBG funds include installation of public infrastructure (water and sewer lines are automatically eligible for funding; streets, sidewalks and drainage may be funded on a case by case basis), the removal of hazardous material, acquisition of vacant land (by an eligible non-profit) or vacant historic buildings (by an eligible non-profit or for-profit developer), and certain rehabilitation activities (on a case-by-case basis). The maximum grant is $250,000 with a $6,000 per unit maximum. Accomplishments: Four (4) awards were made under the HD Tax Credit program in 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: Four (4) awards were made using $1 million of the 2010 program allocation. Single-family Housing: Funds will be available for assisting single-family housing developments up to $250,000. Eligible uses of CDBG funds include installation of public infrastructure (water, sewer, streets, sidewalks and drainage), the removal of hazardous material, and vacant land acquisition by an eligible non-profit or housing counseling. There is an $18,000 per unit assistance maximum for single-family projects. Accomplishments: CI opened the second round of HD in January 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, no awards have been made using the 2010 program allocation. Individual Development Account (IDA): These funds provide match for down payment assistance or closing costs to qualified first-time low and moderate-income homebuyers. The maximum funding is $70,000 per project and the program is non-competitive. IDAs are funded in 2010 by a $200,000 set aside from the HD line item and from de-obligated HD funds from previous years. IDA grants are available only for first-time homeownership. The grant cycle is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The application requires community-based partnerships with established track records and trusting relationships in serving disadvantaged constituencies. The following services must be provided to participants: credit reporting and counseling, financial literacy, homeownership education, and housing 42 counseling. Review criteria includes: organizational capacity, goals and objectives, and project feasibility/readiness. Accomplishments: CI opened the second round of HD in January 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, no awards have been made using the 2010 program allocation. Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBEA) funding assists local governments to jumpstart growth of existing small businesses, thus creating new jobs or retaining existing jobs (Note: Job retention is very narrowly defined by HUD and job retention projects must meet HUD’s criteria). This assistance must lead to the creation or retention of jobs primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons. The proposed project must also include a plan for creating an entrepreneurial environment in the community, one that would support and sustain continued economic development and job creation even after funding for this program has been expended. The SBEA program was designed to benefit LMI persons through job creation or retention. Funding eligibility is contingent upon the creation or retention of permanent, full-time jobs, at least 70% of which must be made available to persons earning 80 percent or less of the median income for the area within the previous 12 months. (For purposes of the CDBG program, LMI family income eligibility is determined from data published annually for the HUD Section 8 housing program.) To review the FY 2010 Income Limits for North Carolina, visit http://www.huduser.org/datasets/il.html. Accomplishments: CI received five (5) applications for SBEA in December 2010 for the 2010 CDBG program allocation. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, no awards have been made using the 2010 program allocation. The total SBEA requests for CDBG funds are $1,145,000 for the $1 million set-aside for this program. Contingency Grants may fund eligible projects to meet community development needs that 1) were not funded under a program category, or 2) for activities identified as high priority or special projects, subject to fund availability. Accomplishments: CI received sixteen (16) letters of interest and/or applications for Contingency in 2010. Most of the requests are for water and sewer infrastructure activities. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: To date, one of the 16 had been awarded using the 2010 program allocation. The total award was $553,500 of CDBG funds to develop Pembroke Our House Perinatal Facility. 2009 and Additional Funding Impacting 2010 Program Performance In addition to the programs included in the 2010 CDBG amendment, other funds were available as a result of additional HUD allocations, recapture, reversion, or carry-over of prior year funds and program income. In 2010 through these sources, North Carolina used CDBG funds for the following five programs described below. 43 Community Revitalization: The Community Revitalization category provides grants to local governments to strengthen neighborhoods and rehabilitate homes of low- to moderate-income citizens. Awards are made on a competitive basis. Funds may be used for housing activities (rehabilitation, relocation, acquisition, clearance, and disposition), water and/or sewer installation or replacement, construction or upgrading of streets and drainage improvements. Accomplishments: CI funded 18 grants under the Community Revitalization (CR) category. The CR funds are distributed to communities in North Carolina, providing households with safe, decent, and sanitary housing, primarily through rehabilitation or relocation. New water or sewer lines were placed to connect these households to safe, clean drinking water and/or provide access to new public sanitary sewer lines. In addition, dilapidated houses were cleared removing slum and blighting conditions from those neighborhoods. Due to the late year awards, results will be reported in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: The 18 CI awards were made in September 2010. The total awards using 2009 CDBG funds were $15,739, 105. Infrastructure (IF) and Infrastructure Hook-ups (IFHU): The Infrastructure grant category enables local governments to provide new infrastructure (public water and/or public sewer) to existing residential neighborhoods to correct problems that pose a severe health or environmental risk or to improve existing infrastructure in existing residential neighborhoods. A sub-category, Infrastructure Hook-Up, connects LMI households that would otherwise be unable to afford the connection to existing water and/or sewer lines (not installed using CDBG funds). Accomplishments: Infrastructure funds were distributed to communities in North Carolina. Projects in this category installed more than 250,000 linear feet of new water and sanitary sewer lines. The Infrastructure Hook-Up program provided hook-ups for approximately 1,000 LMI households. Awards: In 2010, eleven (11) Infrastructure grants were made to local governments using $4,709,886 of the 2009 CDBG allocation and de-obligated funds from previous years. Eighteen (18) infrastructure hook-up grants were awarded using $1,190,130 in 2009 CDBG program allocation and previous year recaptured funds. Small Business and Entrepreneurial Assistance (SBEA): This was described in the previous section. Accomplishments: CI awarded five (5) applications for SBEA for the 2009 CDBG program allocation. Four were awarded in January 2010 and one late award in November 2010. Performance outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Awards: CI awarded $1,145,000 using the 2010 program allocation and made the late award using recaptured funds. Capacity Building (CB): The Capacity Building Grant Category is designed to encourage local governments to partner with an eligible local non-profit in developing future community development projects. The local unit of government serves as the grant applicant while the non-profit organization is the indirect recipient of funds. Ultimately, the capacity building grant is expected to result in a future CDBG application. Accomplishments: The Town of Columbia located in Tyrell County in conjunction with a local non-profit, was awarded a Capacity Building grant in November 2010 using recaptured funds. Awards: In 2010, CI awarded capacity building funds to 1 community. 44 Talent Enhancement Demonstration: The Talent Enhancement Demonstration grant (TEDG) is administered by the Office of Rural Development and designed to enable participating local units of government the opportunity to develop and build capacity in areas that will develop appropriate and competitive CDBG grants, administer CDBG grants, grant writing, economic impact analysis, community survey research and design, and feasibility study preparation. They will also be able to undertake an activity or activities that they have previously been unable to carry out. Accomplishments: There are seven participations in the TEDG program. The TEDG requires the local units of government to submit a CDBG application within 24 months of receiving the TEDG grant. This application must be in one of the CDBG eligible categories, feasible, realistic and have the foundation to succeed. This program was recommended for permanent status in 2010. Awards: The TED grants were awarded using 2009 CDBG funds and recaptured funds. The outcomes will appear in the 2011 CAPER. Program Measures In 2010, much of the Community Development Block Grant program focused on two goals outlined in the Commerce Department’s strategic plan: Building Stronger Communities and Creating Jobs through Sustainable Economic Development. State resources were focused on stimulating development in rural communities and some urban areas, which have not experienced positive growth. The following is an assessment of strategic actions undertaken during the reporting period to address the state’s community development priorities. The Community Investment and Assistance (CI) and its partner the Commerce Finance Center (CFC) continued to create jobs through sustainable economic development targeted to low-to-moderate income residents through a variety of programs. CI continued to address persistent poverty in rural communities and parts of urban areas of the state by putting emphasis on Tier 1 and Tier 2 Communities, local governments with Urban Progress and State Agrarian Zones, and the 21st Century Communities Initiative. CI continued high levels of funding in its core programs of Scattered Site Housing and Community Revitalization, both of which greatly improve the physical living conditions of our state’s poorest residents. CI focused on stimulating job creation and improving living conditions through the 2010 North Carolina Economic Recovery Program. CI continued to advance the Governor’s Growth policies by incorporating sustainable development principles and policies into criteria for CDBG funding for Housing Development and other categories. CDBG objectives and outcomes are specific to each program category. The category with its corresponding objective and outcome are provided here. The objectives and corresponding outcomes were all met for the CDBG categories awarded in 2010 and will be met for the categories allocated in 2010, but will be awarded in 2011. 45 Categories Objective Outcome North Carolina Economic Recovery Creating Economic Opportunities , Creating Decent Housing, and Creating Suitable Living Environment Availability Community Revitalization Providing Decent Housing Sustainability Small Business & Entrepreneurial Assistance Creating Economic Opportunities Availability Contingency/Urgent Needs Creating Suitable Living Environment Sustainability Scattered Site Housing Providing Decent Housing Sustainability Infrastructure Hook-Ups Creating Suitable Living Environment Sustainability Infrastructure Creating Suitable Living Environment Sustainability Housing Development Providing Decent Housing Affordability IDAs Providing Decent Housing Affordability Economic Development Creating Economic Opportunities Availability Investment of Available Resources & Families and Persons Assisted(24 CFR91.520(a)) Table 5: Investment by Program in Units/Developments Completed in 2010 (91.520(a)-(b)) Program Actual Funding for all proposed 2010 categories Investment Plan Year Anticipated Households Assisted/Jobs Created Actual Households Assisted/Jobs Created North Carolina Economic Recovery 14,037,004 2010 226 HH and 5 public facilities * Community Revitalization 15,739,105 2009 285 HH * Economic Development 11,770,360 2009/2010 1285 jobs 1285 jobs Small Business 1,000,000 2009 40 jobs * Scattered Site Housing 12,400,000 2010 254 HH * Housing Development 1,477,700 2009/2010 321 HH * Infrastructure 4,709,886 2009 1476 HH * Infrastructure Hookup 1,190,130 2009 271 HH * Urgent Needs/Contingency Based on funds de-obligated from previous years 2010 Not applicable * Total 62,324,185 4,158 HH, 5 public facilities, and 1325 jobs TBD * Grants are in the implementation phase and there are no closed projects. Technical Assistance In 2010, technical assistance priorities included: (1) increased technical assistance to local governments and their agents that furthers the goals and priorities of the CDBG program, (2) technical assistance to 46 developing community development corporations, and (3) increased support for workshops, seminars, and training for grantees and staff. During the 2010 program year, division staff presented at various workshops, conferences and other training opportunities in order to further reach out to community development professionals and provide technical assistance as often as necessary. In addition to one-on-one consultation with local governments, councils of government, and consultants, CI staff members provided technical assistance to a number of non-profit and local government advocacy groups including the North Carolina Community Development Association, the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina Community Action Agencies, the North Carolina League of Municipalities, and the North Carolina Housing Coalition. CI continued its annual CDBG training academy in 2010, as part of the Community Development Academy offered by the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The purpose of this academy is to train community development professionals in best practices and to make them aware of all possible resources at their disposal as they attempt to better the living conditions and economic opportunity of their residents. One aspect of this training is the instruction by CI staff on proper administration and development of CDBG grant programs. The Community Development Academy will continue to provide instruction and technical assistance in 2011. CI held CDBG workshops throughout the year that were attended by approximately 100 participants. The Division held full-day workshops for contractors and rehabilitation specialists during the year. Informational conference calls were held for the NC Economic Recovery Program and Scattered Site Housing. During the Community Development Academy, a joint effort between CI and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a full-day is devoted to the CDBG program. Additional Information The following pages include the following: Section 3 reports for CI (HUD 60002), CDBG Race Data Report (HUD 27061), Summary of CI Performance Evaluation Report for 2010 and CI MBE Report for 2010. Section 3 Summary Report U.S. Department of Housing OMB Approval No: 2529-0043 Economic Opportunities for and Urban Development (exp. 11/30/2010) Low – and Very Low-Income Persons Office of Fair Housing And Equal Opportunity Section back of page for Public Reporting Burden statement 2. Federal Identification: (grant no.) 3. Total Amount of Award: 4. Contact Person 5. Phone: (Include area code) 1. Recipient Name & Address: (street, city, state, zip) 6. Length of Grant: 7. Reporting Period: 8. Date Report Submitted: 9. Program Code: (Use separate sheet for each program code) 10. Program Name: Part I: Employment and Training (** Columns B, C and F are mandatory fields. Include New Hires in E &F) A Job Category B Number of New Hires C Number of New Hires that are Sec. 3 Residents D % of Aggregate Number of Staff Hours of New Hires that are Sec. 3 Residents E % of Total Staff Hours for Section 3 Employees and Trainees F Number of Section 3 Trainees Professionals Technicians Office/Clerical Construction by Trade (List) Trade Trade Trade Trade Trade Other (List) Total * Program Codes 3 = Public/Indian Housing 4 = Homeless Assistance 8 = CDBG State Administered 1 = Flexible Subsidy A = Development, 5 = HOME 9 = Other CD Programs 2 = Section 202/811 B = Operation 6 = HOME State Administered 10 = Other Housing Programs C = Modernization 7 = CDBG Entitlement Page 1 of 2 form HUD 60002 (6/2001) Ref 24 CFR 135 HUD Field Office: Part II: Contracts Awarded 1. Construction Contracts: A. Total dollar amount of all contracts awarded on the project $ B. Total dollar amount of contracts awarded to Section 3 businesses $ C. Percentage of the total dollar amount that was awarded to Section 3 businesses % D. Total number of Section 3 businesses receiving contracts 2. Non-Construction Contracts: A. Total dollar amount all non-construction contracts awarded on the project/activity $ B. Total dollar amount of non-construction contracts awarded to Section 3 businesses $ C. Percentage of the total dollar amount that was awarded to Section 3 businesses % D. Total number of Section 3 businesses receiving non-construction contracts Part III: Summary Indicate the efforts made to direct the employment and other economic opportunities generated by HUD financial assistance for housing and community development programs, to the greatest extent feasible, toward low-and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing. (Check all that apply.) _____ Attempted to recruit low-income residents through: local advertising media, signs prominently displayed at the project site, contracts with the community organizations and public or private agencies operating within the metropolitan area (or nonmetropolitan county) in which the Section 3 covered program or project is located, or similar methods. _____ Participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the training or employment of Section 3 residents. _____ Participated in a HUD program or other program which promotes the award of contracts to business concerns which meet the definition of Section 3 business concerns. _____ Coordinated with Youthbuild Programs administered in the metropolitan area in which the Section 3 covered project is located. _____ Other; describe below. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. This agency may not collect this information, and you are not required to complete this form, unless it displays a currently valid OMB number. Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 1701u, mandates that the Department ensures that employment and other economic opportunities generated by its housing and community development assistance programs are directed toward low- and very-low income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance housing. The regulations are found at 24 CFR Part 135. The information will be used by the Department to monitor program recipients’ compliance with Section 3, to assess the results of the Department’s efforts to meet the statutory objectives of Section 3, to prepare reports to Congress, and by recipients as self-monitoring tool. The data is entered into a database and will be analyzed and distributed. The collection of information involves recipients receiving Federal financial assistance for housing and community development programs covered by Section 3. The information will be collected annually to assist HUD in meeting its reporting requirements under Section 808(e)(6) of the Fair Housing Act and Section 916 of the HCDA of 1992. An assurance of confidentiality is not applicable to this form. The Privacy Act of 1974 and OMB Circular A-108 are not applicable. The reporting requirements do not contain sensitive questions. Data is cumulative; personal identifying information is not included. Page 2 of 2 form HUD 60002 (11/2010) Ref 24 CFR 135 Race and Ethnic Data Reporting Form U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Administration OMB Approval No. 2535-0113 (exp. 01/31/2011) Program Title: Grantee/Recipient Name: Grantee Reporting Organization: Reporting Period From (mm/dd/yyyy): To (mm/dd/yyyy): Racial Categories Total Number of Race Responses Total Number of Hispanic or Latino Responses American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Black or African American Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander White American Indian or Alaska Native and White Asian and White Black or African American and White American Indian or Alaska Native and Black or African American * Other multiple race combinations greater than one percent: [Per the form instructions, write in a description using the box on the right] Balance of individuals reporting more than one race Total: * If the aggregate count of any reported multiple race combination that is not listed above exceeds 1% of the total population being reported, you should separately indicate the combination. See detailed instructions under “Other multiple race combinations.” Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 1.15 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection instrument. HUD may not collect this information, and you are not required to complete this form unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. 1 form HUD-27061 (10/31/2009) For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 1 of 14 Allocation $45,561,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $39,818,283.65 Program Income $872,742.93 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $152,245.70 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $44,701,170.00 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $575,000.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $455,610.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $44,701,170.84 Funds For Local Administration $4,155,640.65 Amount For state Administration $1,011,220.00 Total Funds $44,701,170.00 Allocation B-00-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 2 of 14 Allocation $47,402,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $40,736,934.71 Program Income $402,168.18 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $261,524.19 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $45,545,977.20 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $756,300.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $474,020.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $45,527,246.45 Funds For Local Administration $3,791,218.30 Amount For state Administration $1,048,040.00 Total Funds $45,545,977.20 Allocation B-01-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 3 of 14 Allocation $47,657,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $37,350,987.53 Program Income $131,571.46 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $736,833.69 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $46,328,040.53 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $3,735,928.45 Amount For Technical Assistance $476,570.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $45,753,647.04 Funds For Local Administration $4,504,290.86 Amount For state Administration $1,053,140.00 Total Funds $46,328,040.53 Allocation B-02-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 4 of 14 Allocation $50,704,000.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $37,173,954.84 Program Income $266,770.92 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $2,562,287.02 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $46,222,555.94 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $1,489,824.74 Amount For Technical Assistance $507,040.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $45,962,178.90 Funds For Local Administration $4,996,489.34 Amount For state Administration $1,114,080.00 Total Funds $46,222,555.94 Allocation B-03-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 5 of 14 Allocation $52,465,304.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $41,986,588.37 Program Income $203,347.12 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $1,598,916.37 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $49,129,439.13 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $1,628,656.09 Amount For Technical Assistance $524,353.04 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $47,263,090.21 Funds For Local Administration $3,915,278.30 Amount For state Administration $1,149,306.00 Total Funds $49,129,439.13 Allocation B-04-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 6 of 14 Allocation $50,010,517.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $42,270,840.19 Program Income $31,574.22 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $45,936,417.11 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $528,000.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $500,105.17 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $1,005.00 Amount Drawn $42,565,114.44 Funds For Local Administration $3,137,576.92 Amount For state Administration $1,100,210.34 Total Funds $45,936,417.11 Allocation B-05-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 7 of 14 Allocation $4,478,582.36 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $0.00 Program Income $0.00 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $4,305,989.62 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $3,777,262.42 Amount For Technical Assistance $0.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $4,305,989.62 Funds For Local Administration $528,727.20 Amount For state Administration $0.00 Total Funds $4,305,989.62 Allocation B-05-DJ-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 8 of 14 Allocation $45,196,659.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $38,115,245.41 Program Income $62,966.13 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $41,845,586.76 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $0.00 Amount For Technical Assistance $451,967.00 Amount For Section 108 Loan guarantees $0.00 Amount Drawn $40,289,213.95 Funds For Local Administration $3,730,341.35 Amount For state Administration $1,003,933.00 Total Funds $41,845,586.76 Allocation B-06-DC-37-0001 03/22/11 For Year 2010 State of North Carolina Community Investment &Assistance Performance Evaluation Report Summary PERSummary Page 9 of 14 Allocation $45,562,137.00 Funds Benefiting Low/Moderate Income Persons $38,122,704.29 Program Income $198,824.34 Funds Preventing or Eliminating slums and Blight $0.00 Financial Status National Objectives Item Amount Item Amount Amount Obligated To Recipients $42,831,003.38 Funds Meeting Urgent Needs $9 |
OCLC number | 122928260 |