| Item Title: | Community Services Department/Colonia Self Help Center ProgramsTX Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs Activities Contact No. 2018-0841 | | Submitted By: | Irene G. Valenzuela, Executive Director, Community Services Department (915) 775-2708 | | Subject: | Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the Colonia Self Help Center Program grant contract with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for a grant award of $700,000 to perform a number of community development activities in five colonias to include Agua Dulce Units 1 and 4, Horizon View Estates Unit 17, and Westway Units 1 and 3. (Contract No. 2018-0841) | | Background: | In 1995, the 74th Legislature passed Senate Bill 1509 which established colonia self help centers in several Texas border counties. Subsequent legislation established El Paso County's first self help center program in 1999. Since then, the County has continued to administer self help center programs for the county's colonias.
The activities proposed under this grant contract will be solid waste community clean up events, developing model home plans, lien and intestate services, mobile home replacement, home rehabilitation, septic tank repair and/or replacement, and tool library and technology center access. The grant award is $700,000 but the County will be eligible for an additional $300,000 upon completion of the program's environmental assessment within the first six months of the contract. Total grant award in six months will be $1,000,000. | | Fiscal Impact: | Grant award under this contract is $700,000. Cash match pledged from the close out of the RLF program in the amount of $278,485 will be committed to this program. Matching funds in the amount of $211,405.39 are currently sitting in grant GCOLONS15. An additional $67,079.61 in matching funds are needed from G.F. If this item is approved, funding in the amount of $67,080 will be requested and allocated in the FY 20 budget. | | Recommendation: | Approve and authorize the County Judge to sign the Colonia Self Help Center Program grant contract with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for a grant award of $700,000.00 to perform a number of community development activities in five colonias to include Agua Dulce Units 1 and 4, Horizon View Estates Unit 17, and Westway Units 1 and 3. (Contract No. 2018-0841)
| | Prior Action: | On November 19, 2018, under item #16 Commissioners Court approved the close-out of the previous TDHCA-CDBG Program Contract No. 7214003 under 2018-0798. | | Strategic Plan: | .. | | Strategic Plan Information: | |
| |