Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Leonard Vialpando
Department: Resilient Environment Division: Housing Finance Division
Information
Requested Action
title
A. MOTION TO AUTHORIZE County Administrator to recognize and accept the appropriation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) to Broward County of unanticipated HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (“CDBG-DR”) grant funds in the amount of $29,222,000; to approve and submit the Administrative Action Plan for Fiscal Year 2024/2025 for the HUD CDBG-DR grant (“CDBG-DR AAP”) (Exhibit 1); to amend the corresponding Broward County Five Year Strategic Consolidated Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024 (“CP”), including but not limited to its citizen participation plan; to accept and recognize the unanticipated CDBG-DR funds; and to support the allocation as needed; and take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions to appropriate said funds for implementation.
ACTION: (T-10:31 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner Davis was not present.
B. MOTION TO APPROVE contract award to Civitas LLC., for consultant assistance with the completion of the Broward County Fiscal Year 2025/2026 through Fiscal Year 2029/2030 Five Year Consolidated Plan (“2025-2029 CP”), in an amount not to exceed $47,500 in proposed fees (Exhibit 2); to authorize County Administrator to execute the contract documents with Civitas LLC. for said services, and any amendments that do not impose additional financial obligations on the County, subject to review and approval for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney; and to authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions for implementation.
ACTION: (T-10:31 AM) Approved.
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner Davis was not present.
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Why Action is Necessary
Motion A
Board approval is required to authorize the County Administrator to: accept, recognize, and appropriate unanticipated CDBG-DR funds; to submit the CDBG-DR AAP; and to amend the corresponding CP.
Motion B
Agreements/Purchase Orders with outside organizations require Board approval.
What Action Accomplishes
Motion A
This action allows the County Administrator to: accept, recognize, and appropriate the unanticipated CDBG-DR funds; to approve and submit to HUD the CDBG-DR AAP; and to execute the HUD agreement in connection with the CDBG-DR allocation and take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions for implementation.
Motion B
Approves award and preparation of agreement/Purchase Order with Civitas, to provide all labor, materials, data, and services required for the successful completion of services for the preparation of the CP.
Goal Related Icon(s)
☒County Commission
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Previous Action Taken
None taken.
Summary Explanation/Background
THE RESILIENT ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING FINANCE DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
This item supports the Board's value: "Ensuring residents have an affordable place to live by offering sustainable, compatible, innovative, accessible, affordable housing options for all income levels, including integrated, permanent supportive housing and zoning that helps residents build equity.”
Motion A
On December 21, 2024, the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 (Public Law 118-158) made available an allocation of CDBG-DR funds to support certain jurisdictions with expenditures authorized under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (“Title I”). Such CDBG-DR funds were appropriated by the United States Congress and allocated by HUD to help affected jurisdictions with disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, economic revitalization, and mitigation in the “most impacted and distressed” areas resulting from a qualifying major disaster that occurred in 2023 or 2024.
HUD allocated $29,222,000 in CDBG-DR funding to Broward County due to severe storms and flooding that occurred in 2023. Pursuant to HUD requirements, a maximum of 5% of the CDBG-DR funds may be used for allowable administrative costs.
This motion allows the County Administrator to recognize and accept the unanticipated CDBG-DR fund allocation to Broward County, to approve and submit to HUD the CDBG-DR AAP (Exhibit 1), to amend the CP as needed, and to execute the HUD agreement in connection with the CDBG-DR allocation and take all necessary administrative and budgetary actions for the above.
Approval and submission of the CDBG-DR AAP will allow the Broward County Housing Finance Division (“HFD”) to incur and qualify for the reimbursement of general administrative costs, including carrying charges, of grant management and overhead costs directly related to the implementation of the CDBG-DR funds.
The HFD has conducted several needs assessments in connection with HUD action and consolidated plans. The priority has consistently been affordable housing. While HUD requires additional needs and mitigation assessments and public and stakeholder outreach for the CDBG-DR funds to be provided to Broward County, it is expected that HFD will likely recommend gap financing for additional new affordable rental unit construction, with a component set aside for transitioning from homelessness, buy-outs of housing units to remove them from the flood areas, pre-development expenses for infill lots in the BMSD area to provide for the new elevations and prevent flooding, and other affordable housing related activities. Once the HUD requirements in connection with the needs assessment are met and completed, HFD will prepare and submit the programmatic portion of the CDBG-DR AAP with the recommendations to HUD.
Motion B
As a prerequisite to receiving Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG”), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (“HOME”), Emergency Solutions Grant (“ESG”), and any other emergency or disaster related federal funding, HUD requires that all grantees prepare a Five-Year Consolidated Plan (“Plan”).
Broward County’s Plan is developed in consultation with: the general public; Broward County’s 15 cities that have a population under 50,000; Broward County’s 11 HOME Consortium entitlement cities, other entitlement cities; the County Continuum of Care Board; Housing Authorities throughout Broward County; developers; non-profit organizations; and other relevant stakeholders. The purpose of the Plan is to outline the framework for Broward County’s use of federal funds during the specific five-year period. Broward County receives CDBG funding on behalf of the unincorporated areas, 15 participating cities with populations under 50,000, and three entitlement communities (the City of Coconut Creek, the City of Margate, and the City of Weston). Broward County also receives Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds and HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) funds on behalf of Broward County’s BMSD areas, the 15 small cities and 11 of the HOME Consortium entitlement cities (Exhibit 2).
On December 11, 2024, the HFD issued a Request for Applications (“RFA”) in order to obtain assistance in preparing the 2025-2029 CP for Broward County in compliance with HUD requirements. Preparation of the 2025-2029 CP for Broward County includes, but is not limited to: conducting needs assessments; data analysis; and training in outreach mechanisms. This ensures adequate citizen participation and stakeholder consultations. Additionally, preparation of the 2025-2029 CP includes preparing the final plan to include an updated citizen participation plan, evaluation of the responses and past performance, objectives, outcomes, homeless needs, assistance with the strategic plan and a thorough housing needs assessment and housing market analysis. The final draft must be completed by July 11, 2025.
The applications to the RFAs were due on January 9, 2025. Civitas, LLC. was the only respondent and was determined to be responsive and responsible and met all the required criteria for the RFA. The RFA requested that the applicants submit alternate costs for additional data information, mapping, meetings and/or unexpected circumstances. The HFD has performed a cost reasonableness analysis and researched the quotes/fees submitted by the recommended bidder, Civitas, LLC., and has determined that the prices submitted are fair, reasonable, and aligned with market analysis for the industry.
After Board approval, an agreement or purchase order between Broward County and Civitas, LLC., and other related documents, will be drafted. The terms will include payment by Broward County to Civitas, LLC. in an amount not to exceed $47,500, as outlined in the proposed fees (Exhibit 2).
Source of Additional Information
Ralph Stone, Director, Housing Finance Division, (954) 357-5320.
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
No fiscal impact. All federal funds.