2018-08-06 CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING MEETING MINUTESMINUTES OF A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PEARLAND, TEXAS, HELD ON MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2018, AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, 3519 LIBERTY DRIVE, PEARLAND, TEXAS.
Mayor Reid called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. with the following present:
Mayor
Mayor Pro -Tem
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
Councilmember
City Manager
City Attorney
City Secretary
Absent: Councilmember Derrick Reed.
Tom Reid
Trent Perez
Tony Carbone
Adrian Hernandez
J. David Little
Gary Moore
Woody Owens
Clay Pearson
Darrin Coker
Young Lorfing
Others in attendance: Jon Branson Deputy City Manager, Trent Epperson Assistant City
Manager, Joel Hardy Grants and Special Projects Administrator, John McDonald Director
of Community Development and Lawrence Provins Deputy City Attorney.
PUBLIC HEARING:
Conduct a 2nd Docketed Public Hearing in accordance with 24 CFR 91.105 (Citizen
Participation) of the Code of Federal Regulations for the City of Pearland's Community
Development Block Grant Program Annual Allocations; and providing an opportunity for
citizen participation and public involvement.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated he is here for the.second
Public Hearing as part of the requirements for developing the Allocation Action Plan for
the Development Block Grant Program. He further stated the Development Block Grant
Program is part of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and used to
assist in housing, social services and redevelopment activities. He stated this will be for
the Fiscal Year 2019 Allocation and is the highest allocation to date and highlighted the
funds that will be spent on Housing and Infrastructure, Social/Public Services and
Program Administration.
Citizen Comments: None
Councilmember Carbone stated there have been issues with Utility billing and would like
to know if the low to moderate income families are being affected disproportionately and
can funds be used to straighten out Utility billing.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated one of the resources that
Pearland Neighborhoods provides is Utility bill assistance for low to moderate income
homes that may be experiencing challenges. He stated that though funds are low, they
can be used to improve infrastructures involving underground water pipes.
Councilmember Carbone stated it does not sound like it makes sense to use the money
toward Utility billing at this time but maybe for future projects it would make more sense.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated that as allocation amounts
increase the City could get to a place where more significant HUD funding is provided.
Mayor Pro -Tem Perez stated for owner occupied housing rehabilitation, have projects
been identified.
Grants and. Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated in fact those projects have
been identified and there is a rolling application process so multiple homes can be
addressed at the same time, which has been the case in the years since the program has
been in effect.
Mayor Pro -Tem Perez asked staff if the City has a list of homes in the area that this fund
is available that are in need of the most assistance and are they being addressed by
amount of need.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated that is one way it can be
looked at and through Code Enforcement reporting homes in low to moderate income
areas that are in need of assistance due to visual dilapidation. He stated the funding is
also available to persons in need that may not have visual dilapidation who want to apply
and the City will assess the need.
Mayor Pro -Tem Perez asked staff if there are any limitations on the City to use funds for
structures with repetitive loss.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated funds can be used for
disaster recovery and a small portion of funds will be used to make some repairs, though
state disaster recovery money is on the way to address those concerns. He stated once
those funds are received they can be used for Hurricane Harvey rebuilding and home
buyouts, the City is in the process of creating an Action Plan.
Mayor Pro -Tem Perez stated he wanted to make sure that the City does not use funds to
repair a home that has been identified as a buyout.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated regulatory requirements are
in place to make sure that there are not any duplication of benefits and each City
department involved is working with a common list of activities.
Mayor Pro -Tem Perez asked staff that if a homeowner refuses a buyout would that
disqualify them for City funded repairs.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated refusal would not disqualify
a home from repair because the Emergency Management Distribution and the Housing
and Urban Development funds are based on a voluntary consideration. He further stated
that homeowners that refuse the buyout and remain in the homes, repairs would be
assessed based on if they are in a repetitive loss area.
Mayor Pro -Tem Perez stated the City does not have a standing policy, the repair need
will be assessed as the program progresses.
Grants and Special Projects Administrator Joel Hardy stated that is correct but the City
has just hired consultants to help with a redraft of the housing policies, the application
process and to keep repairs in line with what the Engineering department is doing with
buyouts.
Conversation ensued between Mayor Pro -Tem: Perez and Grants and Special Projects
Administrator Joel Hardy regarding the allocation of funds to salaries and assistance to
the community throughout this process.
Adjournment
Meeting was adjourned at 6:26 p.m.
Minutes approved as submitted and/or corrected this the 17th day of September, A.D.,
2018.
BxjTom Reid
Mayor
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