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Plan
of Action for CDBG Fiscal Year 2003-2004
The City of Cape Coral was incorporated
in August 1970. The City is a 114 square mile pre-platted (subdivided)
community, with
approximately 400 miles of fresh and saltwater canals and over 1,370
miles of roads. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Cape Coral’s
population was 102,286, an increase of thirty-six percent or 27,295
persons from 1990 Census figures. Current population estimates, based
on building permit data indicates Cape Corals population to be approximately
126,000.
Cape Coral is a relatively new City, which has undergone substantial
growth and is planning for steady growth for the years to come.
This growth will bring challenges and opportunities. Many of the
community needs relate to infrastructure, parks, and adequate commercial
facilities. The 2003-2004 Action Plan will implement the fourth
year of the 2000-2005 Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan
outlines goals, strategies, and priorities for benefiting the lower
income population of the City. The Action Plan provides a detailed
plan for the allocation of resources for the 2003-2004 fiscal year,
to accomplish the community development goals set forth in the
Consolidated Plan.
The overall goal of the Consolidated Plan and
Action Plan are to provide decent housing, establish and maintain
a suitable living
environment, and expand economic opportunities for everyone, particularly
lower income individuals and families. The priority needs of the
City are divided into three (3) major categories: housing, homeless,
and community development needs. These categories are further divided
into sub-categories. Objectives have been established under each
category to obtain the identified needs of the community. These
needs were determined by the Citizen’s Advisory Board for
CDBG and stakeholders of the community. The activities to be undertaken
in the Action Plan were established through the implementation
of the Citizens’ Participation Plan, which is contained within
the Consolidated Plan and made a part of this Action Plan.
The City of Cape Coral’s Community Development Block Grant-Citizens’ Advisory
Board recommended seventeen (17) activities to receive funding
for the 2003-2004 program year. The program year begins October
1, 2003 and ends September 30, 2004. The City Council approved
the activities on July 21, 2003.
The following provides a listing of the projects in each category
of priority need:
Table 1- Funding Levels
CITY OF CAPE CORAL
CITIZENS’ ADVISORY BOARD’S RECOMMENDED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
AND PROPOSED FUNDING LEVELS, 2003-2004
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| Activity Proposed
Funding |
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| Priority Housing Needs |
Proposed Funding |
| Cape Coral Housing Dev. Corp. (CCHRDC) |
$125,000 |
| Developmentally Disabled Residential Corp. |
$55,000 |
| Cape Coral Finance Utilities Connection Program |
$118,600 |
| Cape Coral Housing Rehab and Development Corp. (CCHRDC) |
$125,000 |
| Priority
Homeless Needs |
| Cape Coral Caring Center - Operating |
$21,000 |
| Abuse Counseling and Treatment Shelter |
$18,550 |
| Priority
Community Development Needs |
| Child Care of Southwest Florida |
$4,000 |
| Parks and Recreation - Transportation Disadvantaged |
$5,000 |
| Consumer Credit Counseling |
$4,000 |
| Deaf Services Center |
$7,000 |
| Down Syndrome Supported Living, Inc |
$15,000 |
| Lutheran Services - Youth Counseling |
$19,050 |
| Dr. Piper Center |
$4,000 |
| Visually Impaired Persons |
$4,000 |
| City Social Services - Van |
$10,000 |
| City - Parks and Recreation Veterans Park |
$60,000 |
| City - Program Administration |
$148,800 |
| Total 2003-2004 CDBG Allocation |
$744,000 |
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Complete
descriptions of each activity are provided in the proposed project
tables contained in the Action Plan. The City of Cape Coral is
entering its twenty-second (22) year of Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) funding and is also entering its twelfth (12) year
of State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program funding.
Part of the CDBG and all of the SHIP funding will be utilized in
the provision of Affordable Housing Programs, to leverage private
funding and extend to the number of families assisted in acquiring
and maintaining affordable housing.
The projects identified within this Action
Plan will be located throughout the community. According to the
2000 U.S. Census, the
community currently contains 25 Census Tracts and 120 Block groups,
32 of which meet the low and moderate income criteria as provided
in 24 CFR 570.208 (a), (1), (ii). The eligible activities and other
maps are presented graphically in Appendix “3”-Maps
of the Action Plan. The maps were produced utilizing ESRI Arc8
software and U.S. Census Tiger Line Files.
The City of Cape Coral’s CDBG program is administered by the
Department of Community Development-Planning Division. For more
information concerning the CDBG program, please contact James P.
Lettiere, AICP Community Development Coordinator or Amy Yearsley,
Planner at (239) 573-3169.
1. FEDERAL RESOURCES
The Federal resources expected to be received for
the 2003-2004 Program Year are the Community Development Block
Grant Entitlement Program funds. A total of $744,000 has been budgeted
for the 2003-2004 program year. The City is expected to receive
$150,000 dollars in program income from the Economic Development
Revolving Loan Program. The program income will be used to provide
additional loans.
Table 2 illustrates the federal funding anticipated.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
CPD Consolidated Plan
Funding Sources
|
| Entitlement Grant (Includes reallocated funds) |
$744,000
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| Un-programmed Prior Years Income not previously reported |
0
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| Surplus Funds |
0 |
| Return of grant funds |
0 |
| Total Estimated Program Income (from detail below) |
$150,000 |
| Total Funding Sources |
$894,000
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| Esimated
Program Income |
| Description |
Grantee |
Sub-recipient |
| 1. Cape Coral Econemic Development Revolving Loan |
$150,000 |
|
| Total Estimated Program Income |
$150,000 |
State Housing Initiatives
Partnership Grant 2003-2004 Fiscal Year
The State Housing Initiatives Partnership Grant Program
was created by passage of the William Sadowski Affordable Housing
Act of 1992. The funds are administrated by the Florida Housing
Finance Corporation (FHFC). The source of financing for this program
is derived from documentary tax collections from the sale of real
estate within our community. The allocation amount is based upon
the City’s population. The City of Cape Coral is required
by the state of Florida to provide for affordable housing.
The City has been a recipient of SHIP funds
since 1992. The purpose of the grant program is to provide affordable
housing opportunities
to very-low and low income persons and or households. In order
to receive SHIP funding, the City is required to annually submit
a financial annual report, delineating where the funds were expended
and for what purposes. The FHFC must audit how the City expends
its SHIP funds for compliance with state statutes. Additionally,
the City is required to complete a Local Housing Assistance Plan
(LHAP) for a three year period. Within the LHAP are affordable
housing strategies which explain which programs will be available
to income eligible clients and/or households. Additionally, the
document contains the rules and regulations governing the City’s
SHIP program.
During the 2003-2004 fiscal year the City received
$865,525 in SHIP funding. The statewide affordable housing trust
fund decreased
in the amount of $47 million dollars, effectively reducing the
City of Cape Coral’s allocation by 21.6% from $1,104,366
to $865,525. These funds are to be expended for housing rehabilitation
and new construction. The SHIP funds are leveraged with Community
Development Block and private financing to create affordable housing.
If the client remains the primary occupant of the home during
the ten or fifteen year period and the owner does not rent, sell
or refinance the primary mortgage, then the day after either of
these two periods expires, the loan becomes a grant and it is forgiven.
For more information regarding the SHIP program please contact
either James Lettiere, AICP, Community Development Coordinator
or Amy Yearsley, Planner at (239) 573-3169 or (239) 573-3182.
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