A. MOTION TO APPROVE revisions to the Broward Redevelopment Program (BRP) for Fiscal Year 2018; establish Fiscal Year 2018 timeline and funding for eligible projects in defined redevelopment areas which have demonstrated blighting conditions, higher unemployment and lower property value growth than those of the municipality and the County, and address the public purposes of economic development, job creation, and removal of blighting conditions; reaffirm that economic development, job creation, and removal of blighting conditions are public purposes for the use of Broward Redevelopment Program funds; and, authorize the County Administrator to implement a process to accept and evaluate applications for Fiscal Year 2018 funding and take other administrative actions necessary to accomplish same.
ACTION: (T-10:42 AM) Approved, as amended, with the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated Tuesday, June 6, 2017, submitted at the request of Vice Mayor Furr (#63 (3)). (Refer to minutes for full discussion.) (See the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated Tuesday, June 6, 2017, submitted at the request of Environmental Protection and Growth Management and Vice Mayor Furr.)
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner LaMarca was not present.
B. MOTION TO DIRECT County Administrator to publish Notice of Funding Availability (NoFA) through the Broward Redevelopment Program in an amount of $8.5 million for Fiscal Year 2018.
ACTION: (T-10:42 AM) Approved, as amended, with the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated Tuesday, June 6, 2017, submitted at the request of Vice Mayor Furr (#63 (3)). (Refer to minutes for full discussion.) (See the Yellow-Sheeted Additional Material, dated Tuesday, June 6, 2017, submitted at the request of Environmental Protection and Growth Management and Vice Mayor Furr.)
VOTE: 8-0. Commissioner LaMarca was not present.
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THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE HOUSING FINANCE AND COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
This item supports the Board’s Value of offering sustainable, compatible, innovative housing options for all income-levels, including integrated supportive housing and rapid-rehousing: Goal 1: Facilitate a regional approach to growth and redevelopment through coordination and collaboration at the federal, state and local levels; Goal 2: Strengthen stakeholder partnerships to increase the availability of affordable housing of all types (e.g. rental, purchase, supportive, etc.), countywide, in every community; and Goal 3: Develop, through effective community collaboration, neighborhoods and communities incorporating intermodal connectivity, while integrating energy efficiency community resilience, and other livability standards and initiatives.
On April 23, 2013, the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approved the Broward Redevelopment Program (BRP). On November 12, 2013, the Board approved 11 of 12 BRP applications and funding for those projects in the amount of $10,105,000. On March 17, 2015, the Board approved updates to the BRP application and additional funding in the amount of $5,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2015. On September 17, 2015, the Board approved four of four BRP applications for the second round of funding in the amount of $2,550,000.
The BRP provides funding for eligible projects in defined redevelopment areas which have demonstrated blighting conditions, higher unemployment rates and lower property value growth than those of the municipality or the County. In addition to removal of blighting conditions, the BRP acknowledges economic development and job creation as public purposes for funding consideration. Funding through the BRP is through performance-based reimbursement grants. Eligible projects are; 1) property acquisition for lot assemblage; 2) public improvements; 3) interior build out for economic development (not to include furniture and equipment), and 4) affordable housing projects. Eligible applicants are municipalities, Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRA’s) (non TIF), or the County in partnership with a municipality.
Between the two funding cycles, the County received 16 applications which were submitted by seven municipalities or CRAs. An Evaluation Committee (EC) recommended 14 of those projects. The Board approved 15 of the 16 applications for a total funding amount of $12,655,000. These projects included; City of West Park (Four projects - $2,443,607); Oakland Park CRA (Three projects - $1,805,000); Lauderhill CRA (Three projects - $1,278,250); City of Miramar (Two projects - $3.0 million); Fort Lauderdale (One project - $1.5 million); Dania Beach (One project - $1,128,143); and Tamarac (One project - $1.5 million).
Presently, of the approved projects, three have been completed; West Park - Roadway Improvement (NW 56 Avenue) - $980,807; Oakland Park - Public Improvement (Prospect Road/Andrews Avenue) - $1,105,000; Oakland Park - Public Improvement (Jaco Park Connector) - $700,000.
Based on the grants approved by the Board for the two funding cycles, $2,345,000 remains of the original $15 million provided to the BRP. With an additional $4.6 million allocated from the General Fund and using additional unused monies from the Redevelopment Capital Program (RCP) and accumulated interest, staff recommends BRP funding of $8.5 million for Fiscal Year 2018.
Exhibit 1 contains the proposed Broward Redevelopment Program (BRP) Application for the third funding cycle, with revisions/updates based upon input from the Board, EC members and staff. Eligible applicants continue to be municipalities, non-TIF CRA’s and the County in partnership with a municipality. The significant revisions encompass the following areas, which;
1. Expand the projects eligible for BRP funding to include affordable housing for the production of new units only. This does not include funding for the rehabilitation of existing units or affordable housing assistance or services of any kind. The inclusion of affordable housing is necessary component of redevelopment and purpose of the BRP. It also helps implement the redevelopment vision, polices and strategies resulting from the County’s “Broward NEXT” effort.
2. Clarify the inclusion of “green infrastructure” and removal of septic tank waste systems as a type of public improvement project eligible for BRP funding. This inclusion will help support the climate resiliency, natural resource protection and enhancement vision, policies and strategies resulting from the County’s “Broward NEXT” effort.
3. Revise the application provision which requires an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) to be executed “as soon as possible” to also require an outer limit of “within one year” of funding approval by the Board or funding approval is forfeited and returned to the reserve account for future funding rounds. This will prevent funds from being “tied up” for an indefinite period, if approved projects are not moving forward in a timely manner.
4. Add clarification in the application to the requirement for a “Non-County” funding match by adding a “minimum percentage” of 15%, in order to earn points (Criteria 4). Currently, the minimum requirement is undefined. This will provide the EC with better guidance when scoring the application.
5. Adjust the point allocation table which provides guidance to the EC for job creation numbers, to reflect proposed changes in weighting of Criteria 8, mentioned in 6e below.
6. Rebalance weighting on some evaluation criteria, to place a more equitable focus on all criteria, recognizing the overall benefits of redevelopment, economic development, tax base enhancement and realistic job creation numbers. Revisions (detailed on page 18-20 of Exhibit 1) include;
a. Criteria 1: Increase weighting from from one to three for "Proximity to Transit and Transit Accommodations" to encourage more transit "friendly" projects.
b. Criteria 2: Increase weighting from one to three for "Environmental Sustainability Components" to encourage projects which further the County's "Highlighted Regional Issues and Strategies" of "Broward NEXT" concerning climate resiliency, natural resource protection and enhancement.
c. Criteria 3: "Ability to Complete a Timely Project" from two to three to reflect a greater desire for "shovel ready" projects and encourage applicants to submit projects which are well into the design phase for BRP funding. This may decrease the need for ILA amendments in the future due to project delays.
d. Criteria 7: Reduce weighting from ten to five for “Removal of Blighting Conditions” to create more equity among all criteria.
e. Criteria 8: Reduce weighting from ten to five for “Number of Permanent Jobs Created” to create more equity among all criteria. Add "Job Training/Apprenticeships" to Jobs Created to expand what will be considered for the Criteria.
A summary of the changes to the Criteria and Weightings are located in Exhibit 3.
The proposed weighting revisions to scoring criteria reduce the top score available from 120 to 105. As a result, the lowest score to qualify for funding is proposed to be lowered from 75 to 65.
Exhibit 1 also contains a tentative timeline for Fiscal Year 2018. Exhibit 2 provides for a proposed Notice of Funding Availability to be published on June 13, 2017, and an Application Preparation Workshop on June 22, 2017. The deadline for submitting applications is August 2, 2017. The Evaluation Committee recommendations will be prepared in November, 2017 for Board consideration. |