9978-09 Appropriating $2,463,435 from Community Development (Fund 212), defraying expenses of CED

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St. Joseph County Housing Consortium St. Joseph County Given economic changes, demand for homeowner assistance has peaked. As a result, HOME funds allocated to the County will be directed to homeowner rehab. The funds will not be targeted to any particular township. Needs are determined based on input from residents and neighborhood organizations, information from local nonprofit organizations, analysis of housing and other community data, and review of local studies and adopted plans. The priority to address a need is determined using the following criteria: • The significance of the need • The eligibility of the area where the need is found • The capacity for the community to effectively address the need ~~ The degree of stabilization (including positive market impact) that could be achieved • The ability to leverage other funding, especially non-public dollars • The visual impact on the neighborhood, if a physical project • The positive impact on homeownership, if a housing project • The improvement in the occupant's quality of life, if a housing project All needs discussed in this document are considered a high priority in the community; however, the scarcity of funds does not allow all activities to be funded. Therefore, activities that are best able to address the criteria presented above receive a high priority. Other activities that are also address these criteria, but may not be undertaken with current funding or at the current time, are given a medium priority. Activities that also address these criteria, but to a more modest extent or that are cost prohibitive or impractical at the current time, receive a low priority. Lack of adequate funding, from public, private, and nonprofit sources, can be an obstacle to meeting underserved needs. Additionally, providers and their contractors may not have the capacity necessary to address fully the needs. Nonprofit organizations struggle with administrative costs, contractors willing to work on individual, smaller housing rehabilitation jobs are limited, and the local skilled rehabilitation contractors are limited and desired by all entities. 2010-2014 Housing and Community Development Plan 12