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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2009-50 RESOLUTION NO.R2009-50 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS SUPPORTING H-GAC'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND POSITION STATEMENT ON THE CDBG SECOND ROUND FUNDING ALLOCATION PLAN. � � � � � WHEREAS, ORCA's CDBG disaster recovery second round funding allocation model and funding plan does not appear to consider the impact of weather on people, housing or public infrastructure; and WHEREAS, under the ORCA funding plan, areas with little or no population can receive allocations equal to those with high population concentrations if they experienced similar weather conditions; and WHEREAS, H-GAC contends that the ORCA funding plan allocates too much money to regions with limited damage and not enough to the H-GAC region; and WHEREAS, the City Council agrees that the ORCA funding plan allocates too much money to regions with limited damage and not enough to the H-GAC region and hereby supports H- GAC's request that ORCA modify its funding allocation plan to enhance the plan's fairness; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS: Section 1. The facts and matters set forth in the preamble of this Resolution are hereby found to be true and correct. Section 2. The City Council of the City of Friendswood,Texas,hereby finds and determines that the ORCA funding plan allocates too much money to regions with limited damage and not enough to the H-GAC region. The City Council supports H-GAC's recommendations and the position statement on the CDBG Second Round Funding Allocation Plan. Section 3. The City Council approves and ratifies the letter in support of H-GAC's recommendation sent by the Mayor to H-GAC, as attached as Exhibit A hereto and incorporated herein. Section 4. The City Council hereby directs the City Secretary to send a copy of this resolution to H-GAC and to ORCA. PASSED,APPROVED,AND RESOLVED this 14th day of September, 2009. Davi J.H. mith Mayor ATTEST ' � �o� F RIE�y��� Deloris cKenzie,TRMC t,� O City Secretary � * * � �9TF OF TE�'P� _.__ Exhibit A (R2009-50) � � DAVID J.H.SMITEI ' City of�1�'�iendswood ��� ! MICHAELB.BARKER � 910 South Friendswood Drive �� � Friendswood,Texas 77546-4856 ���m , (281)996-3270 �Y��R,,T, Fax: (281)482-1634 �r�s� � September 8,2009 RtXifiR ROECKflR Ctt�+S�tuY DET.,ORL4 McKENZ1B,TRMC Mr.Charlie Stane�,F.�cecutive Director Texas Department of Rurat Community Affairs P,O.Box 12877 Austin,TX 787I 1 RE:Comments Draft Plan for Hurricane Recovery Round II Funding Dear Mr.Stone: I want to direct your attention to the numerous deficiencies in the Amendment to the Pian for Disaster Recovery (Action Plan) created by the Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA previously known as � ORCA) and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). As you are aware, the Houston-Galveston Area Cauncil Board of Directors has expre�s�d its dissxtisfaction with the proposed allocatIon of funds under the Amended Action Plan, which reduces the perccntage of funds going to commemitics in the H-C3�AC region and altocates a large share of�he funds to special-purpose categori�s controlled by the state agencies. The H GAC Board unanimously approved comments to be submiited to TDRA and TDIiCA to make signific�tnt carections to the Draft Action Plan. The comments grepared by the Houston-Galveston Area Councit are endorsed as an affieial statement of our position regarding the Draflt Action Ptan. The Draft Action Plan undcr-atlocates and underlying Funding A(location Model undcrestirt�ates bath the actual and relative impact of Harricane Ike in the Houston-Galveston Area,particularly when consi�ring the extent of developod and populated areas that were affected and the devastating impact of the storm surge in coastal areas. There are significant and substantial changes necessary to the Draft Action Plan snd the underiying Funding Altocation Model to align funding allocations with the extent of damage and costs of rccovery in the Houston-Galvcston Area. Sincerely, � �vid J.H.Smith Mayor Cc Council Mcmbers City Manager Director of Communiry Development Fire Marshaf/Emergency Management Director H-GAC Position Statement on CDBG Second Round Funding Allocation Plan ORCA's CDBG disaster recovery second round funding allocation model and funding plan are seriously flawed. The model measures weather impacts, but does not consider the impact of weather on people, housing or public infrastructure. Areas with little or no population can receive allocations equal to those with high population concentrations if they experienced similar weather conditions. ORCA's funding plan verifies the model's flaws. The plan provides some regions ten times the Houston-Galveston region's funding per severely damaged house. ORCA's plan also allocates substantial housing funding to regions' that devoted less than ten percent of their first round funding to housing. The funding plan allocates too much money to regions with limited damage and not enough to the H-GAC region. The region suffered Hurricane Ike's direct impact and experienced extensive, well documented damage to its housing stock and public infrastructure. H-GAC's requests that ORCA modify its funding allocation plan to enhance the plan's fairness. Requested Changes • ORCA's allocation plan should focus on impacts to people and damage to communities. • ORCA should allocate funds to the regions using actual reported FEMA damage data, not theoretical modeled results. Using FEMA data follows the pattern established by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in allocating second round funds to the states. • ORCA should substantially reduce the state-level set-aside for recovery enhancement pilot projects. The state should also substantially reduce its administrative costs. These actions would minimize the impact of revising the draft action plan on other regions. • First round funding should not be adjusted through the second round funding formula. First round funding was approved by the state and HUD and adjustments to it are inappropriate. • Regions should be given additional flexibility in the regional set-asides. The set-aside for generators is unnecessary in the H-GAC region. • All first round eligible recipients should be able to opt out of the state administered housing program and be permitted to conduct a locally administered housing program. • If the weather impacts model is used at all, it should be revised to significantly increase the weight given to surge. It should also be amended to measure the weather's impact on people and property, including low and moderate income communities.