Title
Resolution Appropriating $190,381 of the Committed Fund Balance of the Home Elevation Revolving Loan Program to the Emergency Management Operating Budget and the Community Development Operating Budget, in the sums of $40,381 and $150,000, respectively, to Fund Current Recoverable Costs Associated with the Administration of the Home Elevation Revolving Loan Program and to Fund a Portion of the Cost of Professional Services Associated With the Dutch Dialogues
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
In FY 2012, Council took the initiative to create a program to assist homeowners with flood mitigation. At that time, the program was envisioned as a loan program. To date no loans have been issued, but the intent of the program has come to fruition. The Emergency Management department has worked diligently with homeowners and FEMA to assist homeowner’s in taking advantage of grants available to fund home elevation. In addition, the City has participated in the Dutch Dialogues, a program for the study of recurring flooding, sea level rise and resiliency issues. The objectives of the FEMA grant program and the Dutch Dialogues are aligned with the initiatives of the envisioned loan program. The following Resolution is presented to fund the current costs of these objectives.
City staff recommends the appropriation of funds from Committed Fund Balance of the Home Elevation Revolving Loan Program to the Emergency Management Operating Budget and the Community Development Operating Budget, respectively for design costs, elevation staff costs and Dutch Dialogue costs currently associated with the Home Elevation Program.
Discussion:
See Purpose/Background
Impact:
See Purpose/Background
Recommendation:
Rec
Approve the Resolution
Body
WHEREAS, the Home Elevation Revolving Loan Program (the “Home Elevation Program”) was established to provide residents living in flood zones, a low-interest loan for the purposes of raising the finished first floor above the flood elevation;
WHEREAS, in Fiscal Year 2012, $2,500,000 was allocated to the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority to implement the Home Elevation Program, none of which has been expended to date;
WHEREAS, the City has assisted approximately 20 homeowners with preliminary design costs necessarily incurred to assess the feasibility of home elevation (“Design Costs”) in the total amount of $11,545, the majority of which is anticipated to be wholly recovered by the City from homeowners;
WHEREAS, the City employs the expertise of a building inspector and planner (“Elevation Staff”) to support the administration of certain FEMA grants available to homeowners to assist with the costs of home elevation, the cost of which is primarily funded through Local Emergency Management Grant and other similar resources;
WHEREAS, the current grants funding the costs of the Elevation Staff will be depleted June 30, 2016, and are expected to be retroactively replenished on or about October, 2016, resulting in a short term deficiency of $28,836;
WHEREAS, on December 9, 2015, a resolution was approved to hire Waggoner and Ball Architects as the Sole Source to assist the City with addressing recurring flooding, sea level rise and resiliency issues utilizing the Dutch Dialogue Approach (“Dutch Dialogue”), with cumulative fees payable in Fiscal Year 2016 estimated to not exceed $150,00; and
WHEREAS, the overall objectives of the Design Costs, Elevation Staff, and Dutch Dialogues are consistent with the purposes of the Home Elevation Program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Hampton, Virginia, that the sums of $11,545 and $28,836 totaling $40,381 and $150,000 are hereby appropriated from Committed Fund Balance of the Home Elevation Revolving Loan Program to the Emergency Management Operating Budget and the Community Development Operating Budget, respectively for Design Costs, Elevation Staff costs and Dutch Dialogue costs currently associated with the Home Elevation Program.