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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - May 3, 2017 C-15TM CITY OF LODI COUNCIL COMMUNICATION AGENDA ITEM CI5 AGENDA TITLE: Authorize Mayor to Sign US Conference of Mayors Letter to Congress in Support of the Community Development Block Grant Program MEETING DATE: May 3, 2017 PREPARED BY: City Clerk RECOMMENDED ACTION: Authorize Mayor to sign US Conference of Mayors letter to Congress in support of the Community Development Block Grant Program. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Mayor received a request (attached) from the US Conference of Mayors to join its broad-based campaign to defeat the proposed elimination of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. One of the options listed for cities is a mayors' letter to Congress supporting the CDBG Program. Mayor Kuehne would like to add Lodi to the list of supporters. Pursuant to Council Protocol Manual Section 7.9, Legislative Communications at the Request of City - Affiliated Organizations, it is recommended Council authorize Mayor Kuehne to sign the US Conference of Mayors letter to Congress in support of the CDBG Program. The US Conference of Mayors request and letter of support is attached for Council's review. FISCAL IMPACT Not applicable. FUNDING AVAILABLE: Not applicable. JMF Attachment ifer M. F Clerk aiolo APPROVED ohw- bauer, City Manager N:\Administration\CLERK\Council\COUNCOM\USConferenceofMayor_CDBG.doc President, MICK CORNETT Mayor of Oklahoma Ciry Vice Presider MITCHELL J. LANDRIEU Mayor of New Orleans Second Vice President, STEPHEN K. BENJAMIN Mayo: of Columbia, SC Pas, Presider,. ELIZABETH B. KAUTZ Mayor of Burnsville Trus BRYAN K. BARNETT Mayor of Rochesrer Hills SHANET BEMIS Mayor of Gresham J. CHRISTIAN BOLLWAGE Mayor of Elizaberh JAMES BRAINARD Mayor of Carmel, IN JOY COOPER Mayor of Hallandale Beach BILL de BLASIO Mayor of New York T.M. FRANKLIN COWNIE Mayor of Des Moines, IA GREG FISCFIER Mayor of Louisvi Ile KIM McMILLAN Mayor of Clarksville MIKE RAWLINGS Mayor of Dallas JAMES J. SCHMITT Mayor of Green Bay MARILYN STRICKLAND Mayor of Tacoma NAN WHALEY Mayor of Dayton Advisory Board: STEVE A D LER Mayor of Austin WILLIAM A. BELL, SR. Mayor of Birmingham JUAN CARLOS BERMUDEZ Mayor of Doral RICHARDJ BERRY Mayor of Albuquerque MURIEL BOWSER Mayor of rhe Districr of Columbia ARDELL F. BREDE Mayor of Rochesrer, MN ROY BUOL Mayor of Dubuque PETE BUTTIGIEG Mayor of South Bend CHRISTOPHER L. CABALDON Mayor of West Sacramento BUDDY DYER Mayor oFOrlando KAREN FREEMAN -WILSON Mayo: of Gary JOSEPH P GANIM Mayor oFB: idgeporr JOHN GILES Mayor of Mesa CAROLYN G, GOODMAN Mayor of Las Vegas SYLVESTER "SLY" JAMES, JR. Mayo, of Kansas City, MO HARRY LaROSILIERE Mayor of Plano EDWIN M. LEE Mayor of San Francisco KENNETH D. MIYAGISHIMA Mayor of Las Cruces FRANK C. ORTIS Mayor of Pembroke Pines ED PAWLOWSKI Mayor of Allentown MIGUEL A, PULIDO Mayor of Sanra Ana MADELINE ROGERO Mayor of Knoxville FRANCIS G. SLAY Mayor of Sr. Louis PAUL SOGLIN Mayor of Madison, WI MARK STODOLA Mayor of Little Rock BETH VAN DUYNE Mayo: of Irving BRIAN C. WAN LER Mayor of Piscataway MARTIN J. WALSH Mayo: of Boston ACQUANETTA WARREN Mayor of Fontana SETT! WARREN Mayor of Newton CEO and Executive Director TOM COC H RA N THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS April 7, 2017 The Honorable Doug Kuehne Mayor of Lodi 305 West Pine Street Lodi, CA 95241-1910 Dear Mayor Kuehne, 1620 EYE STREET NORTHWEST WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 TELEPHONE (202) 293-7330 FAX (202) 293-2352 URL: www.usmayors.org RECEIVED APR 17 2017 CITY CLERK I am writing to ask you to join with us in the fight to stop the elimination of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. For more than 40 years, CDBG has helped mayors and their cities to develop strong, long-lasting programs that improve the quality of life for your residents. The CDBG program is under attack in Washington, DC and its future funding is threatened to be eliminated. We need you to join us to make sure Congress understands the value and benefits of this long-term investment in the future of cities. The U. S. Conference of Mayors has launched a broad-based campaign to defeat the proposed elimination of CDBG. Here are actions to do your part in support of this effort: 1. Meet with your Congressional delegation over the Easter recess, which runs for the next two weeks; urge their support for the program. 2. Use the press and social media to tout how CDBG investments have improved your city. Highlight your programs in our survey https://mayo.rs/savecdbg 3. Sign our Mayors letter to Congress supporting the program: https://www.ustnayors.orgicag/ 4. Participate in CDBG Week, April 17-22, 2107, where all mayors will join with others to celebrate the benefits of the program. Now, more than ever, we need you to join with your mayoral colleagues to preserve these vital resources for cities that have served us so well. It is certain that Mayors joining together to speak in one voice can save CDBG. For more information on how you can get involved in this campaign or the Conference of Mayors, please contact me or Debra DeHaney-Howard, Director of Membership, at (202) 293-7330. Sincerely, telT4A-a Tom Cochran CEO and Executive Director Dear Chairman Collins and Ranking Member Reed: We, the undersigned members of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, urge you to support the Community Block Grant (CDBG) program at $3.3 billion as you develop the FY2018 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriation bill. CDBG is one of the most effective federal programs for growing local economies and for providing a lifeline to families and communities with proven results. Since FY 2005, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has collected accomplishment data for the CDBG program. The data highlight the program's flexibility to design and implement strategies tailored to meet local needs and priorities. It has provided funds in every state, including housing investments, public infrastructure improvements, and economic development, while also providing public services, including services for seniors, youth, the disabled, and employment training. Despite being a key tool for aiding our communities, the CDBG program, like many programs, has taken a share of deep cuts in recent years, falling substantially—by nearly $1.4 billion since FY2001. While the program helps more than 1,200 cities, counties, states, and rural areas meet the needs of low and moderate -income people and communities, funding cuts have severely weakened the ability of grantees to revitalize their communities and respond to local need. We share your commitment to the most effective use of taxpayer dollars and believe that these grants have proven highly effective. Based on the data that grantees have reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over the past nine years (FY2005 – FY2016), CDBG has: • Helped over 1.3 million low- and moderate -income persons through single-family, owner - occupied rehabilitation, homeownership assistance, energy-efficient improvements, and lead-based abatement, among other activities; • Created or retained 387,109 jobs for low- and moderate -income people through a variety of economic development activities; • Benefited over 42 million low- and moderate -income persons through public improvements including senior centers, child care centers, and centers for people with disabilities; • Benefited over 133 million low- and moderate -income persons through public services such as employment training, meals and other services to the elderly, services for abused and neglected children, assistance to local food banks, and other services; • Helped Seniors Live Independently. CDBG funds are used to rehabilitate the homes of low - and moderate -income elderly persons to allow them to age in place, thereby, avoiding costly assisted living and nursing home care. CDBG provides resources to Meals on Wheels and other local food programs to ensure our low- and moderate -income seniors receive daily nourishment and contact. Further, CDBG funds are used to build community centers to allow seniors to receive health and recreational services to stay engaged and healthy; • Strengthened Families and Communities through Homeownership. CDBG funds are used to assist creditworthy, working for families with down payment and closing cost assistance to purchase a home. Homeownership stabilizes neighborhoods, allows families to build assets, and adds to the local tax base; • Created Safer Communities. Local communities use CDBG to work with local police departments and neighborhood leaders to fight crime and make neighborhoods safer places to live and work by creating and expanding neighborhood watch groups, making safety improvements to homes and businesses, and encouraging local police sub -stations to move into high crime areas; • Invested in Our Next Generation. Local communities use CDBG funds to provide afterschool programs to low-income children, summer jobs for low-income youth, and build recreation centers to provide a safe outlet for learning, sports and personal growth. Additionally, every $1.00 of CDBG leverages an additional $3.65 in non-CDBG funding. CDBG makes its way into the local economy through an extensive network of local organizations and remains a lifeline for families and communities. It is one federal program that touches the lives of nearly every American in some fashion. Over 7,200 communities have access to the funds and rely on the program to enhance their life and community. Every State, Territory, and Congressional District receives or has access to CDBG funds. The pressing need in the current economy for these funds remains critical. While we understand the difficult fiscal decisions, you must make in Washington, we appreciate your consideration of this important request and strongly urge you to support at least $3.3 billion for the CDBG program in FY18 to help grow local economies. Mayors' Sign -On: https://www.usmayors.org/cdbg/