Council Communication Office of the City Manager	Date	March 9, 2009
	Agenda Item No. 25 Roll Call No. 09- Communication No. 09-142 Submitted by: Larry Hulse, Community Development Director

AGENDA HEADING:

Approval of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) contract (COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN) for the 2008-2009 CSBG Program Year

SYNOPSIS:

Council approval of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) contract made to the Iowa Department of Human Rights/ Division of Community Action Agencies for the City of Des Moines Community Services Program for low-income persons from October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2009.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Amount: $547,337 (revenues)

Funding Source: Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) through the Iowa Department of Human Rights/ Division of Community Action Agencies, deposited to the FY09 Operating Budget, Community Services Block Grants – SP027, CDD049900, CSBG2009001, pg. 107.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

CSBG provides funding for the City’s Community Action Agency with services delivered through the Community Development Department’s Community Services Division.  Services are delivered through the downtown office in the Armory Building and the Forest Avenue, Logan, Archie Brooks and Four Mile Community Services site offices.  CSBG funding is leveraged with the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and United Way which also provide funding to the City’s Community Action efforts. CSBG funds provide the necessary staff support so that 100% of funds from sources such as the City franchise and MidAmerican I-CARE funds can be used solely to assist households in maintaining heating and electrical service. In addition to the many other programs and services provided by the Community Services Division, CSBG funds also help, in conjunction with donations and/or grants, support the personal pantries at the Forest and Logan offices, the City’s holiday basket and garden projects and assists households in maintaining heating and electrical service.

The Community Services Division operates as the Community Action Agency for the City of Des Moines. It is charged with providing services to the City's low-income families and trying to address and eliminate causes of poverty. The City became a public Community Action Agency (CAA) in 1977.

The origin of Community Action can be found in the signing of the federal Equal Opportunity Act in 1964. There are now 1,000 Community Action Agencies in the U.S. The City of Des Moines is one of eighteen Community Action Agencies serving Iowa.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

Date: May 19, 2008

Roll Call Number: 08-880

Action: Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Community Action Plan (Application) for the 2009 CSBG Program Year. Council Communication No. 08-283) Moved by Vlassis to adopt. Motion Carried 7-0.

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S):

Date: March 4, 2009

Roll Call Number: N/A

Action: Approval of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) contract (COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN) for the 2008-2009 CSBG Program Year. (Action)

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS: NONE

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive. Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.