Calendar:
Monday, December 5
5:00 pm - Organizational Meeting - (Oath of Office), Meeting Chamber
Tuesday, December 6 - Saturday, December 10
All Day - NLC Congress of Cities and Exposition Conference, Charlotte, NC
Information Items:
2006 Neighborhood Symposium Final Agenda
Staff Resources: Stanley Watkins, 704-336-3796 - swatkins@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Stephanie Small 704-336-3380 - ssmall@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Attached is the final agenda for the 2006 Neighborhood Symposium. The final agenda was unanimously approved by the Housing and Neighborhood Development Committee during their November 22nd meeting.
Staff surveyed City Council and citizens to get their input on the final agenda. All of the subject matter recommended by Council is included in the 2006 Symposium plans. More than 75% of the subject matter recommended by citizens is currently included in the 2006 Symposium plans and will be covered in workshops or at exhibits. Remaining topics such as how to conduct meetings, duties of organization officers, forming neighborhood associations, and grant writing will be covered in the City's Community University or other Neighborhood Development sponsored capacity building initiatives throughout the year.
The Neighborhood Symposium is a citywide conference of neighborhoods that provides opportunities for neighborhood leaders and others to learn about community services and resources. Residents participate in workshops, hear from community building experts, and network with other neighborhoods who share similar interests and issues. The theme for this year's Symposium is "Standards of Excellence: Showcasing Model Neighborhoods". The Symposium is scheduled for April 22, 2006 and will be held at the Charlotte Marriott City Center.
Briar Creek Sewer System Improvement Project Community Meetings
Staff Resource: Cam Coley, 704-391-5106 - ccoley@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Phase I of Briar Creek's public meetings this week will update customers on current sewer pipe alignment. Park & Recreation staff will also discuss greenway options during this meeting. These meetings are scheduled for:
Tuesday, December 6, 2005, 6:30 p.m.
Selwyn Neighborhood and Areas South of Runnymede Lane
Mouzon United Methodist Church
3100 Selwyn Avenue
Wednesday, December 7, 2005 at 6:30 p.m.
Myers Park High School and Areas North of Runnymede Lane
Myers Park High School Art Gallery
2400 Colony Road
Attached is information on the Briar Creek Sewer System Improvement Project.
State Assisted Housing for Evacuees of Hurricane Katrina
Staff Resource: Richard Woodcock, 704-336-8572 - rwoodcock@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Over the next month that federally funded housing assistance will run out for a number of Katrina evacuees in Charlotte. Benefits for a number of families and individuals placed in hotels by the Red Cross will expire on December 15, 2005. This is a new deadline, which was extended from December 1, 2005. There are requests in other parts of the country to extend the deadline to January 7, 2006.
Charlotte's Katrina evacuees are currently being housed by faith-based groups, private individuals, apartment complexes, the Salvation Army and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded hotel rooms. If FEMA discontinues payments for hotel rooms on December 15th, it will place a strain on the area's nonprofit social service agencies to respond. However, the exact number of persons that may be impacted is unknown. Charlotte is estimated to have between 3,000 and 4,000 Katrina evacuees in the area.
The North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety - Division of Emergency Management (NCEM) is in charge of a FEMA funded Public Assistance Interim Shelter Program. Through this program, funds can be made available, on a reimbursement basis, to cities, counties and housing authorities to lease housing and cover other related housing expenses for Katrina evacuees. There is an estimated $7.5 million available state-wide.
There are a number of significant issues that have to be addressed:
- Program costs for evacuees must be under contract by December 15, 2005, which is the latest FEMA deadline, according to the NCEM. The number of units needed is unknown and the deadline leaves little time to arrange for the leasing of housing units.
- Concerns about the source of City funds for initial upfront costs and the timeliness of reimbursement from the state. (Estimated cost could be as much as $895,000 for 2.5 months at an average fair market rent of $716 per month for 500 households)
- Information from FEMA indicated that housing costs could be covered retroactively but state officials indicated that contracts between the City and housing providers must have already been in place. The City does not have such a contract with a housing provider.
- Housing costs will only be reimbursed for expenses incurred before March 1, 2006. At that time Katrina evacuees will depend solely on the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) directly from FEMA. A number of evacuees will not qualify for FEMA IHP for a variety of reasons. What responsibility would the City have to evacuees living in housing leased by the City but not reimbursed for costs by the State?
On November 30, 2005, Mayor McCrory submitted a letter to NCEM indicating the City's interest in the Public Assistance Interim Shelter Program contingent on receipt of procedures and requirements. If City staff is able to address the above concerns, we will work with other local housing providers to bring forward options and a possible proposal for Council consideration, possibly as soon as the Council meeting of December 12. We will keep the Council posted as this issue develops.
