Council Communication Office of the City Manager	Date	November 09, 2009
	Agenda Item No. 28 Roll Call No. 09- Communication No. 09-793 Submitted by: Larry Hulse, Community Development Director

AGENDA HEADING:

Authorizing the signature of an addendum to the agreement dm120508lead between City of Des Moines and the Polk County Housing Trust Fund (PCHTF) to include an additional $8,335 for the owner-occupied lead remediation program.

SYNOPSIS:

A Resolution authorizing a $175,000 Grant Request to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund (PCHTF) was approved by Council on November 10, 2008 (Roll Call #08-2007). This program, jointly administered by the City and the Polk County Health Department, rehabilitates owner-occupied houses in Des Moines for Lead-Based Paint Interim Control measures. PCHTF granted the City of Des Moines $85,000 of that request in December of 2008. Receipt of those funds was also authorized under the above mentioned Roll Call. Additional funds have become available and the action up for consideration amends these additional funds into the existing contract. These funds will help the Neighborhood Conservation Services (NCS) Division of the City of Des Moines fulfill its obligations outlined in a sub recipient agreement with the Polk County Health Department authorized by Council on August 24, 2009 (Roll Call #09-1552).

FISCAL IMPACT:

Amount: $8,335

Funding Source: Polk County Housing Trust Fund

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

In 2004 Polk County Health Department approached the Community Development Department to explore how the City and County could work together to help families who have children that have identified elevated blood levels due to lead paint. It was mutually agreed that a pilot project would be developed and the Polk County Health Department would provide eligible referrals. The City would then accept the Lead Inspection report provided by the County. Polk County referrals would be given first priority in the NCS Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program. Because of the successes of this program, Polk County and the City NCS Division have made this a standing program and have agreed upon guidelines for the roles and responsibilities of each entity.

Since the inception of the program, 34 households have participated in the program with project costs ranging from $24,000 to $60,000. Of those households 32% had a household income below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI); 44% were between 30-50% AMI; and 23% were between 50-80% AMI. There are also an additional 17 cases currently in process.

The Lead-Based Paint Control program is intended to complete the necessary rehabilitation work for eligible low-income homeowners that have homes identified as the primary residence of a child under the age of six with elevated blood lead (EBL) at a cost of on average of $40,000 to $50,000 per unit.

In addition to the current program, the Polk County Health Department was awarded $3 million dollars from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Program Grant. The City of Des Moines entered into a sub-recipient contract with Polk County to help implement the Polk County Lead Hazard Control Grant Program on August 24, 2009 (Roll Call #09-1552). The sub-recipient contract outlines the responsibilities and commitments of the City and Polk County in implementing the program. Within that sub-recipient agreement outlines a project completion timeline.

Authorization of the additional funds from PCHTF proposed in this action will help the City meet the goals outlined in the sub-recipient agreement with the Polk County Health Department and will help allow the continuation and expansion of the existing Lead Based Paint program administered by the NCS Division.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

Date: August 24, 2009

Roll Call Number: 09-1552

Action: Sub-recipient contract with Polk County to administer the Housing and Urban Development 2008 Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program. (Council Communication No. 09-598) Moved by Kiernan to adopt. Motion Carried 7-0.

Date: November 10, 2008

Roll Call Number: 08-2007

Action: Submission of $175,000 Grant Applications to the Polk County Housing Trust Fund for the following:

(A) Lead-Based Paint Control Program offered jointly with the Polk County Health Department. (Council Communication No. 08-682) Moved by Kiernan to adopt. Motion Carried 5-2.

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): NONE

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.